The ongoing voter registration exercise in Gesima ward, Kitutu Masaba was temporarily halted on Thursday after a section of area residents protested alleged massive voter transfer from neighboring West Mugirango constituency.
Trouble started when a section of youths stormed Mosobeti registration centre and whisked out over 20 people believed to be from the neighbouring constituency, demanding IEBC officials to explain the circumstances under which the group was being registered.
“A group of youths stormed the registration Centre alleging that an aspiring MCA had ferried people from Bosamaro ward for registration. This led to angry confrontations forcing IEBC officials to run for safety,” said Jared Magena, who witnessed the incident.
The angry youths are said to have threatened IEBC officials against registration of strangers, saying the electoral body was after imposing leaders on them.
“They threatened IEBC against any registration of strangers in the region saying the electoral body had done little to avert cases of voter transfer to the region,” he added.
Area MCA Ken Atuti accused his opponents for working with IEBC to facilitate ‘irregular transfer’ of voters against his favor in 2017.
“This isn’t the first time we are seeing people from the neighbouring Bosamaro ward transfer their details to Gesima yet they do not stay in my ward. This is a wider plan by IEBC to work with my well known opponents to short change me in 2017 by facilitating irregular transfer of voters,” he said.
The allegations have since been dismissed my by IEBC assistant coordinator from Kitutu masaba as ‘misguided’, and urged residents to register in numbers.
“I think the allegations are misguided because IEBC is an independent body. There is no law that forbids voter transfer and this politician knows that,” said Peter Nyauma.