Politics of Tuesday, 4 March 2003

Source: JoyOnline

Wulensi By-Election Update: Lies & StreetLights

  • NDC supporters besieged the Wulensi Secondary School, where ballot boxes were being kept to ensure that they were dispatched to the polling stations on time. They also accused the ruling party and the security agencies of delaying the dispatch of ballot boxes to areas considered as NDC strongholds.
    According to a JOY FM reporter, in Wulensi, the NDC’s allegations were untrue. He explained that the security agencies were reluctant to dispatch the ballot papers, because it was 1 am and they had agreed to dispatch the ballot boxes in broad daylight to forestall any eventuality. It also emerged that there were no NPP executives at the secondary school at that ungodly hour contrary to the NDC’s allegations.

  • One man who described himself as the operations director of the NDC narrated how the NPP Govt on Monday, erected street lights in one of the towns just to sway votes in their favour. In the NDC members words ''if MPs could be dismissed every two weeks and by-elections held, then some communities will witness faster development''.

  • The Wulensi by-election had been occasioned by the disqualification of the former Member of Parliament Mr Samuel Nyimakan(NDC). The New Patriotic Party, National Democratic Congress, People's National Convention, Democratic People's Party, Eagle Party as well as two independent candidates are contesting the seat.

  • 27,461 registered voters would be expected to cast their votes.