Shocking ‘ghosts’ found on Gulu voters’ register
By Timothy Nsubuga
31st January 2011
The ghost voters of Lalogi-Gulu
The Electoral Commission’s official voters’ register for a polling station in a remote part of Gulu district in northern Uganda has tens, perhaps even hundreds of Bantu sounding names, Uganda Correspondent can reveal.
The register was sent to Uganda Correspondent by a concerned Ugandan who thought it was highly suspicious that such a remote rural corner of Gulu could be that “cosmopolitan” with so many names of people you wouldn’t ordinarily expect to find there.
The register in question is for Jaka Parish, Lalogi P 7 School polling station in Omoro County-Gulu district. On this register, there are ‘un-Acholi’ names like Byamukama Moses, Byamugisha Innocent, Arigabire Michael, Arinaitwe Annet, Arinaitwe Pauson, Ainebiona Giorias, Akampurira Emanuel, Abigaba Geoffrey, Abireba Dickens, Adam Enock, Adam Yusuf, Aduba Vitala, and Amodoi John.
There are also names like Ariyonzi Tomson, Asiimwe Norah, Asiimwe Wilson, Asimwe Robert, Asimwe Prossy, Asimwe Scovia, Atuhaire Jackline, Atuhaire Norah, Atuhura Francis, Atwine Aggrey, Bagonza John, Bagonza James, Bagonza Necton, Bagonza Patrick, Bagorora Joseph, Baguma Bernard, Bainemuhangi Alex, Balikigamba Xavier, Chebet Joan, Chelangat Sakiya, Chemonges Akim, Chemonges Ismail, and Cherotin Rativ.
Other than that, there are 11 people called Baluku, 5 people called Businge or Busingye, 11 people called Byaruhanga, 11 people called Byeborohas, 3 people called Bryarugaba, 3 people called Isingoma, 2 people called Kagwa, 3 people called Kahwa, 4 people called Kato, 10 people called Bwambale, 9 people called Kule, and there are two people with the same names of Kasigwa Noha.
The ‘un-Acholi’ names appear all through the register; from top to bottom. By Uganda Correspondent’s rough estimate, the ‘un-Acholi’ names probably make up to three quarters of the total number of “registered voters” at Jaka Parish, Lalogi P 7 School polling station in Gulu.
But there are also some very strange names which do not only sound ‘un-Acholi’, but totally ‘un-Ugandan’. For example, there is someone called JAMFC CJGFNYI, others called KLLE Johnson, Jongo Julius, Jomoa Joseph, IJwato Loice, Famu Denes, Happy Robert, Erifaz Friday, and 3 other people called Friday.
Dr. Kizza Besigye reacts to the Gulu ghosts
Reacting to news of the discovery of these suspicious names, IPC presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye, who is also President of FDC, said if the existence of the names is proven, then it would be a vindication of the opposition’s consistent campaign against the EC’s incompetence and partiality.
“…We have been very consistent in our disapproval of Kiggundu’s partisan Electoral Commission. The Supreme Court of Uganda agreed with us twice in 2001 and 2006. I was manhandled by policemen and my vehicle forcefully towed away when we went to register our protest at the Electoral Commission. This government will be held responsible if our country descends into chaos because the EC’s bias”, Besigye said.
The FDC President further said the existence of ghosts on the register may be the reason why the NRM is predicting a win in the north and nationally by about 66%. He however appealed to Ugandans to be vigilant on polling day. “…I would like to appeal to our people to be extra vigilant on polling day. The future of our country is in their hands. They have the power to defend their victory and they must prepare for that eventuality if the elections are rigged”, Besigye added.
NRM Spokesman reacts to the Gulu ghosts
In the eye of the storm
NRM Spokesman Mr. Ofwono Opondo on the other hand, referred Uganda Correspondent’s request for comment to the Electoral Commission; a body that he said, is responsible for compiling an accurate voters’ register.
He however added that, “…you ought to know that Uganda is a free country and people are free to settle, register as voters, or indeed produce children and give them whatever names they wish not related to where those particular names originate by tribe or ethnicity”.
There was no comment as yet from the Electoral Commission by the time we went to press. EC Chairman Badru Kiggundu however told The New Vision on 23rd October 2010 that one million ghost names had been deleted from the national voters’ register. END. Please log into www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
