By witnessradio.org Team
Land, apart from being our source of livelihood, it provides an address and a polling station where one can exercise his/her constitutional duties to decide how to be governed through voting in or out a leader in any democratic society. In another words, its a complete gift from God!
In recent hundreds of land eviction cases covered by witnessradio.org, thousands of voters have been evicted off their land that provided them with fixed places of aboard and polling stations giving way to land development.
witnessradio.org has covered hundreds of land eviction cases that involved disbandment of several polling stations. However, one might think that once an eviction is executed, such polling stations cease to operate but according to former voters, some polling stations remained active even during previous general elections in 2016.
Some of the many locations that experienced active polling stations even after eviction include; polling stations that had over 520 voters on the land taken by Misanga Farm Supply limited co-owned by one Karangwa Moses, a ruling party National Resistance Movement member. Karangwa and his company evicted over 2000 people from Nsiira LC 1 on villages, Kasaji, Mitijjalusobyo, Kyerimira and Katuugo.
According to former Nsiira Local 1 (One) Chairperson Masengere Charles Lwanga, whose entire local council was a victim to land eviction, testified that even during the ruling party primaries in 2015, their polling stations were active despite the fact that voters were evicted over a decade ago.
“I witnessed activities in 2015 NRM primaries by my own eyes and there were only eight (8) people who participated in the entire voting exercise. I however did not check the declaration forms after the exercise” said Masengere
witnessradio.org early this year (2018) released a report indicating that close to 180,000 families only in Mubende had been evicted off their land totaling to over 1.97 million hectares by 2016. The army and police were reported to be aiding these evictions.
However, more cases continue to be registered with more polling stations being prematurely closed including four (4) polling stations that were forcefully taken by Agilis partners limited, a full subsidiary of Joseph Initiatives. Polling stations include; Ndoyi polling station, Kapapula polling station, Kikungulu polling station and Kimogola polling stations among others.
witnessradio.org is asking; who benefits by keeping inactive polling station on the national voters register?
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