The Electoral Commission says there will be no supplementary elections for Markham and Kabwum Open electorates as alluded to by aggrieved candidates in a news article.
Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai said the decision to declare the leading candidates for Markham and Kabwum following the burning of ballot papers and destruction to the counting centres was done to protect future elections.
“It is a tough decision but I had to take it in order to protect our electoral systems. We cannot give into to criminal elements and surrender our authority to administer and run elections. These incidents in Markham and Kabwum are the first of its kind and I must put my feet down and make the call,” he said.
Sinai said if he allows for a supplementary or a by-election, it will set a bad precedent for elections in future, where candidates who know they are not doing well in the primary count will mobilise their supporters and criminal elements to destroy the counting process with the intention to fail the election.
“We don't want to see this repeated in future. We must put our feet down and sound a warning to all potential candidates and their supporters that if they are planning to sabotage future elections, with the motive to secure a supplementary election, better drop it.
“It won't work and this decision must be a deterrent to everyone throughout the country who try to derail and undermine the democratic process,” he said.
Sinai was responding to a news article in the Post-Courier where candidates from Markham and Kabwum have sought clarification on the status of the elections in the two electorates.
The Commissioner said destruction of ballot papers and counting centres in Markham and later in Kabwum were all pre-planned and done to destroy the chances of the two sitting MPs who were leading with huge margins at the conclusion of the primary count.
“It would be unfair for the leading candidates to suffer at the hands of criminals and drag the Commission into conducting a by election which is a costly exercise,” Sinai said.