Ugandas ruling party deputy Secretary General and minister without portfolio, Hon Dorothy Hyuha has refuted allegations implicating her in the party’s primary elections malpractice in her home district of Butaleja in eastern Uganda.

By Steven Fredrick Magomu, The Uganda Eye

Media reports across the country implicated Hyuha was arrested with 40,000 pre-ticked ballot papers on Monday morning as the country went into voting.

Malicious propaganda
Hyuha says this is malicious propaganda by her opponents intended at tarnishing her image and that of the party.

Speaking to BBCs Network Africa, deputy spokesman for the National Resistence Movement (NRM) Mr. Ofono Opondo said the party will investigate the matter. He added that if Hon. Hyuha is found guilty of stealing ballot papers, she will face disciplinary action.

Speaking to The Uganda Eye, Hyuha says elections in her district did not take place as a result of insufficient voting materials just like in other 39 districts across the country.

“I know these are my political opponents trying to propagate this malicious propaganda against me, but they will not succeed. Let them not think that they can use malicious propaganda to bring me down, I have built my reputation for over 50 years now.” she said.

Hyuha who condemned internal intrigue in the party said its the right time for its members to unite, adding that escalating internal fighting would cost the party its much desired victory in 2011 general elections.

Local leaders speak out
Some of the local leaders who were affected by the malpractice told the party deputy chairman Al Hajja Moses Kigongo that it was a shame for a senior party leader to be arrested with ballot papers.

Mr. Bernard Mujasi, Mbale district chairman named the director of mass mobilization and cadre development at the NRM secretariat Dr. Hassani Galiwango as one of the big wings in the party involved in the vote rigging racket.

“We cannot have ballot papers without any security features, these papers can be printed from anywhere on Kampala roads. This is incompetence by the NRM Electoral Commission and the members should resign.” Mujasi said.

Causing Havoc
Speaking to the delegates at Mt. Elgon hotel in Mbale, deputy chairman Al Hajji Moses Kigongo said: “It appears that some people within the party are bent on causing of havoc; NRM is not here to breed leaders that thrive on stealing votes. I am now telling you that you should leave NRM and go where you can steal votes, we want leaders who can deliver services to our people.”

He adds we went to the bush to fight bad leadership, and we are not going to tolerate anybody who is contributing to the down fall of NRM. I want to a sure you that we are going to deal with anybody.

With sporadic violence erupting in constituencies where tensions remained high, the chairperson of the party electoral commission, Ms Felistus Magomu, blamed the fiasco that has come to define the polling on thieves within the NRM who she said want to spoil its good name.