Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) parliamentary primaries in the Bukedi Subregion kicked off peacefully on Wednesday, defying earlier fears of violence in several hotspot constituencies.
High voter turnout was recorded across Tororo, Busia, and other parts of the region, signaling increased public confidence in the party’s internal electoral process.
By 7:00 a.m., village registrars from all 1,337 villages in Tororo District had assembled at the central police station to collect voting materials.
A similar operation was carried out in Busia District, which comprises 567 villages, as well as in other districts within Bukedi.
The distribution was conducted under tight security to ensure materials reached polling stations ahead of the 10am start time.
Security forces were deployed across the subregion in anticipation of possible unrest. However, the feared chaos failed to materialize. Instead, the process unfolded smoothly in most areas, with long queues forming early as voters turned out in large numbers.
Officials and observers attributed the robust participation to intensive voter mobilization and education campaigns led by the NRM Electoral Commission in the days prior to the vote.
Busia Municipality MP Geoffrey Macho praised the commission’s preparations, noting that the widespread awareness efforts played a key role in driving turnout.
Despite the overall calm, a few procedural hiccups were reported. In some villages, voters resisted the use of official registers, prompting intervention by election supervisors.
Rodgers Mulindwa, the NRM official overseeing elections in Bukedi, confirmed the incidents but said they were swiftly resolved without affecting the integrity of the process.
“Despite initial fears, the exercise turned out to be one of the most peaceful in recent history,” Mulindwa said, adding that only minor incidents were recorded, particularly in Tororo and Busia.
With a peaceful start and strong public engagement, the NRM primaries in Bukedi appear to have set a constructive tone as the party moves closer to confirming its parliamentary candidates for the 2026 general elections.
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