ARUA – Independent candidate Kassiano Wadri has taken a huge early lead as counting of votes in the hotly contested Arua Municipality parliamentary by-election continues.
Information from the tally centre at Arua Public Primary School indicates that from the 35 polling stations so far counted, Wadri is leading with 4,330 votes followed NRM’s Nusura Tiperu, who has 2,421 votes. Thirty polling stations are yet to go and results are expected to be announced later tonight.
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 won. 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.
More details to follow…
