Africa-Press – Uganda. Police in Kasese District have arrested Morris Kithenge Masereka, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Registrar for Ibanda-Kyanya Town Council, over the alleged disappearance of 15 party registers—documents considered vital to the party’s ongoing organisational process and primary elections.
Masereka, 41, is suspected of tampering with the registers, which vanished under unclear circumstances, sparking concern among party members and casting a shadow over preparations for the local Party Baraza and grassroots voting.
The incident came to light over the weekend and prompted swift intervention from law enforcement, with Masereka taken into custody at Kasese Central Police Station for questioning.
Officers involved in the case say they are treating the matter with utmost seriousness due to the potential impact on the integrity of the NRM’s internal elections.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that the registrar may have deliberately interfered with the documents, an act that could compromise the credibility of the Party Baraza and voting exercise,” said a police spokesperson in a Monday briefing.
The loss of the registers has unsettled many in Ibanda-Kyanya, where grassroots competition among party aspirants has already stirred heightened emotions.
Some local residents accused the registrar of colluding with one of the candidates to skew the outcome of the internal process by removing names or entire pages from the lists.
Masereka, however, has not yet been formally charged and remains in custody as investigations continue.
Security agencies have urged calm and called on the public to remain alert during this tense period.
“We appeal to members of the public to remain calm and vigilant. Any threats to the peace and stability of the process should be reported immediately,” authorities said in a joint statement issued Monday.
Party insiders say the missing registers are part of the official NRM documentation used to verify voters during internal meetings and primary elections. Their disappearance could delay the exercise in the affected areas, or force the NRM secretariat to re-issue new books if they cannot be recovered.
The NRM secretariat has yet to issue a detailed comment, though sources within the party’s district office confirmed that a team from the Electoral Commission was expected to visit Kasese to assess the situation and provide guidance.
As the ruling party embarks on its grassroots reorganisation ahead of the 2026 general elections, the incident in Ibanda-Kyanya highlights mounting concerns about transparency and fair play within the NRM’s structures.
Some members in Kasese have called for an overhaul of the local electoral apparatus and tighter controls on sensitive party materials.
“We want justice, not just for our community but for the integrity of the party,” said one aspirant who asked not to be named.
“The moment trust in the process is broken, we all lose.”
Police have promised a thorough investigation and warned that anyone found culpable—whether by theft, forgery, or conspiracy—will face prosecution.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
