| NRM registering children |
| Monitor Team |
|
THE NRM is massively recruiting children below the voting age in the on-going nationwide registration of its members, the Daily Monitor has learnt. "We are registering people who are under 18 years as well. We know they are not registered voters now but they will soon attain the majority age (18 years) to vote,"said Mr Dan Opima, the Arua District officer in-charge of registration and training. Opima, who was appearing on a talk show on Radio Pacis FM on Saturday, dismissed mounting public criticism that the registration of children s was a ploy to rig the March 2006 general elections. Reports from other districts indicate that district party officials were given a go -ahead to register members in primary and secondary schools. The Director of Information at the Movement Secretariat, Mr Ofwono Opondo, could not be reached for a comment yesterday. Arua District NRM interim chairman, Mr Cyril Eriku, also denied reports that district officials were withdrawing registration cards of opposition parties from voters and replacing them with their own (NRM) cards. He said FDC supporters had registered for NRM after voluntarily surrendering their FDC cards. Executives denied Eriku said yesterday that they had not received official tallies of registered members from each of the 36 sub-counties but estimates show that at least 100 supporters in each of Arua's 2,076 villages had registered in the NRM. The district Registrar for Electoral Commission, Mr Richard Balla, says Arua has about 260,000 registered voters only. In Gulu, the response to the registration has been so big that it has raised suspicion among NRM officials. Hundreds of people are rushing for the NRM cards after rumours began circulating that those who do not bear the cards could get into trouble in future. Some people are being told that the cards would work like identity cards in future. Another official, Mr Tony Kitara, the NRM district chief mobiliser, said 157,000 had by Saturday registered in Gulu District. He added that the party hopes to win 80 percent of the votes in Gulu. A resident, Mr Steven Okot, said he registered out of fear for any possible political turmoil in future. He said he had a feeling that the cards might be asked for in future. Besigye said on Saturday that over 200 people who had registered under the FDC surrendered their registration certificates and demanded NRM cards claiming that they were registered without their consent. "I want to hand-over these FDC certificates to the RDCs office so that he can put them where they belong," he said. The Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Lt. James Mwesigye, said the results from other sub-counties have not yet been compiled but promised to avail them after they are ready. In Kisoro, the District Movement Chairman, Can. John Bitunguramye, told Daily Monitor that his office had not received any results about the NRM party registered supporters because the registration materials had reached late. "We are not worried of anything, he said. There is no political party that has even opened an office in Kisoro to oppose the NRM party. I am sure NRM party shall register over 99 percent of the total voters in Kisoro District." In Mbarara, the NRM district interim committee is targeting about 440,000 members, according to interim Movement Chairman Fred Kamugira. Registration still on Asked when the registration would end, he said, "We haven't received a deadline from the top." |
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