NRM Wins Soroti East By-election Amidst Accusations Of Voter Bribery By FDC

By Stephen Ocaido

Soroti – The hotly contested by-election of Soroti East City on Thursday has seen NRM secure victory amidst claims of voter bribery and intimidation by the Police.

At around 9:50pm, the returning officer for Soroti city Eyu Christine announced Ariko Herbert Edmund as the overall winner with 9407 votes, followed by his closest contestant Attan moses Okia who gunnered 8,771 votes, and UPC’s Amuriat Pascal polled 115 votes.

According to the declaration of result form seen by this website, total number of valid votes cast for candidates were 18,293, total number of rejected (invalid) ballot papers were 313, total number of ballot papers counted 18,606 and total number of spoilt ballot papers were 107.

FDC camp however accused NRM of voter bribery under the watch of security, an allegation which NRM camp refuted.

There was a higher turn up of voters at all polling stations, however some polling stations turned chaotic as some voters destroyed voting materials over allegations of pre-ticked ballot papers.

FDC opposition candidate accused the Electoral Commission of paying a deaf ear when voter bribery was happening in their midst as also their agents at most of the polling stations were arrested by security forces. “A lot of people were being given money and ferried to come and vote. Of course as a party, we don’t support processes which amount to voter bribery,” FDC official told our reporter.

Police however arrested over 40 people including FDC president Patrick Amuriat and other senior FDC leaders.