)
)
Minister of Internal Affairs and one of the winners in the Thursday NRM primary elections, Gen Kahinda Otafiire, is facing backlash for engaging in election malpractice.
The 74-year-old has been accused of ferrying students from different schools in Ruhinda County to vote for him.
Photos and videos from Rubangizi playground show the minister in the queue with scores of students in school uniform.
The learners, apparently from different schools with most clearly underage, made up a big part of the line.
)
)
)
Some unconfirmed reports indicated that Hon Otafiire arrived with some of the learners at the polling station.
Our efforts to get a response from the minister were still fruitless on Friday morning.
Bribery accusations
Meanwhile, in another viral clip taken earlier on Wednesday, Hon Otafiire promised to buy alcohol for his voters if they secured his victory.
“Tomorrow, let’s show up at 1:00 pm at Rubangizi,” he said.
“I will buy Waragi to fill up the whole world.”
Many Ugandans took to social media to condemn the minister, while others called for the Electoral Commission to look into the incidents.
“How can you bring even primary pupils to line up? Wrote one X user.
“So Justice Simon Byabakama and the EC are just watching as Minister (Otafiire) uses young students to vote….This is a disgrace to democracy,” said one Mulwana
Gen Otafiire has served in Parliament since 1996, losing only once to Mugabe Kahonda Dononzio in 2016.