As the Island District of kalangala prepares to hold a by election for the Kalangala District Woman MP seat, three candidates have so far been nominated on the first day of nominations.
The Kalangala District Electoral commission returning officer Ms Harriet Kashagire, while addressing journalists on Wednesday revealed that only three of six aspirants vying for the post turned up on day one of the nominations.
Ms Kashagire, revealed that those nominated include National Unity Platforms (NUP) Irene Nampala, a sister to the late area Woman MP Hellen Nakimuli, National Resistance Movements (NRM) Aidah Nabayiga and independent candidate Hellen Flavia Nagawa.
“We’ve got six people who expressed interest and picked nomination forms, so far we’ve received three, they have been duly nominated. We shall keep here waiting for those other three or any other person who may pick interest to come and be nominated” she said.
Ms Kashagire urged candidates and their supporters to follow the electoral laws and guidelines in place to deter instances of electoral violence.
“Usually conflicts or scuffles start when you stop following the law, that is when either the candidate or someone else diverts and start doing things that are not within the law. Therefore we expect everyone to take part but follow the law. If it’s campaign everyone knows these campaigns are supposed to start at 8 and stop at 6. Don’t go beyond” she said.
She further assured the island districts 42,452 registered voters across 115 polling stations of a transparent process, urging stakeholders to maintain peace.
Following her nomination, NUP’s Nampala pledged to prioritize the concerns of fishermen, women’s empowerment, and upgrading the district’s healthcare and education services, if elected.
Independent candidate Hellen Flavia Nagawa pledged to lobby for a district hospital to fix healthcare gaps, improve the island’s poor road network, and voice community grievances.
The NRM’s director mobilisation Rosemary Sseninde urged Kalangala residents to vote for Aidah Nabayigga, promising that she will champion community development.
The By elections comes months after the late area MP Nakimuli, tragically passed away in April following surgery.
