By Our Reporter
Former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye is facing a series of serious but unverified allegations that he has paid voters and attempted to influence Electoral Commission (EC) officials, reportedly in a bid to have his main opponent disqualified and secure an unopposed victory in the Sheema North parliamentary race.
Dr. Tumwesigye, who recently relocated his political activities from Sheema Municipality to Sheema North, is accused by some local political actors of first attempting to pay his challenger, Julius Muhanguzi Ndangire, to bow out of the contest.
Ndangire has claimed that he was approached with an offer estimated between 150 million and 200 million shillings, allegedly to abandon the race. He stated that he rejected the offer, describing it as “an attempt to compromise democracy.”
When the alleged attempt reportedly failed, the dispute appeared to intensify. Five voters who signed Ndangire’s nomination forms have reportedly sworn affidavits claiming they accepted payments ranging between 3 million and 10 million shillings to participate in the scheme.
The authenticity and circumstances of these affidavits remain unclear, and their contents have not been independently confirmed.
Also, it is alleged that Dr. Tumwesigye’s brother, Nicholas Kwarija, reportedly claimed that payments had already been made to certain Electoral Commission officials to influence a ruling on a petition seeking Ndangire’s disqualification. The Electoral Commission has not issued a formal statement regarding the allegations.
Dr. Tumwesigye has reportedly filed the petition and is expected to present the five affidavit signatories to the EC, where they will allegedly withdraw their earlier signatures.
The situation in Sheema North has reportedly reached a boiling point. Supporters of Ndangire have threatened to boycott the upcoming election and to stage demonstrations during President Yoweri Museveni’s scheduled visit to the district next month if their candidate is removed from the ballot.
Ndangire has since reported that he has received threats, and that his supporters have allegedly been intimidated since his nomination. He accuses Dr. Tumwesigye of employing “underhand methods” rather than engaging voters “on the ground.”
These claims also remain unverified.
In addition, it is reported that people have been pressured and persuaded with cash incentives to retract their signatures from Ndangire’s nomination forms. The circumstances surrounding these claims, including their origin and authenticity, remain uncertain.
Repeated attempts to contact Dr. Tumwesigye, his brother Nicholas Kwarija, and the Electoral Commission for responses to these allegations were unsuccessful by publication time. Should any of the parties provide comment, this story will be updated accordingly.
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