Independent candidate Kassiano Wadri has won the Arua municipality parliamentary seat. He beat 11 others, among them, Nusura Tiperu, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party who finished second in the race.
He polled 6,421 while his main challenger Tiperu polled 4,798 votes. Another independent candidate Robert Ejiku had 2,694 and FDC’s Bruce Musema had 1,369 votes.
Wadri is currently in detention and is expected to appear in the army court on Thursday over possession of a firearm and treason.
He garnered most votes in Oli Division, where from nine polling stations there, he got 1,302 votes while Tiperu got 588. FDC’s Bruce Musema could only manage 128. There are 12 candidates in the race.
The municipality has about 65 polling stations with about 46,000 voters.
In some parts of the town, residents are jubilating in front of the soldiers and policemen after Wadri was announced the winner. At Arua Hill Division, Arua Public Nursery, Wadri (Independent) got 64, Tiperu Nusura (NRM) 59, Ejiku Robert (Independent) 30, Atima Jackson (Independent) 08, Musema Bruce (FDC) 15, Avutia Simon (Independent) 00, Alfred Nyakuni (Independent) 01, Alekua Jaffar (Jeema) 00, Nyero Elton (Independent) 00, Anguandia Sunday 02, Safi Bavuga (Independent) 00, Madira Kennedy (DP) 01.
At Arua Public Primary school Wadri Kassiano 95, Anguandia Sunday 03, Atima Jackson 01, Alekua Jaffar 00, Safi Bavuga 00, Avutia Simon 00, Musema Bruce 15, Alfred Nyakuni 00, Kennedy Madira 00, Nusura Tiperu 86, Atima Jackson 09 and Nyero Elton 00.
There is tight security at the tallying centre at Arua Public Primary school hall. Several journalists and party agents are being turned away.
The former Terego county legislator (Kassiano Wadri) now takes a seat formally occupied by Col. Ibrahim Abiriga, who was gunned down in June.
by Dispatch Reporter
