Residents of Ruhanda-Nzovu Village, Bunagana Town Council, have raised allegations against the Kisoro District security team, led by officials from the office of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), claiming they intimidated voters during yesterday’s elections for the Chairperson of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The elections at the village featured three candidates: Samuel George Niyonshima, Nteziyaremye Gerald, and incumbent Senzoga George.
According to residents, the initial results indicated a peaceful voting process, with Nteziyaremye receiving 134 votes, Senzoga obtaining 112 votes, and Niyonshima securing 18 votes.
However, shortly after these results were announced, electoral officials alleged that some voters had been coerced into voting, leading to a controversial call for a re-vote.
Residents noted that, shortly after the first results were declared, a substantial number of security personnel arrived at the polling station. Many residents allege they were threatened and pressured to vote, undermining the integrity of the electoral process. Some voters, already having left for other commitments, were unable to return, severely impacting their democratic right to participate.
Local residents described feelings of fear and pressure during the voting process, stating that the intimidating presence of security created an unsafe environment for expressing their choices.
Nteziyaremye Gerald expressed his concerns regarding the conduct of the district officials, condemning their interference in the elections and pledging to take legal action to defend his rights as a citizen.
Senzoga George, the incumbent, acknowledged that the initial voting phase was flawed and cited this as the reason for their decision to petition the process.
Samuel Niyonshima recognized those who participated in the elections and insisted that the process should have remained fair, despite the subsequent disruptions.
However, Asonya Polly, the NRM registrar for Bunagana Town Council, confirmed the reports of chaos and conflicts during the polling. He stated that the situation led him to seek intervention from higher officials to ensure a fair electoral process. Asonya noted that during the second phase of voting, Nteziyaremye chose to boycott, while Niyonshima withdrew from the race, ultimately resulting in Senzoga being declared the winner with 150 votes.
The Kisoro District Police Commander (DPC) dismissed all the allegations, stating that the police always uphold law and order while protecting people and their property.
