Police in Apac have arrested two candidates contesting in yesterday’s Apac Municipality mayoral election over alleged electoral offences.
The suspects are Patrick Ongom Eyul, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) candidate and incumbent mayor, and Andrew Awany, an independent candidate.
They were arrested yesterday afternoon on separate allegations.
Awany is accused of engaging in illegal campaigning on election day.
Police allege that between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., he appeared on Divine FM, a local radio station in Apac Municipality, where he conducted political campaigning while voting was ongoing, an act prohibited under electoral laws.
Ongom, on the other hand, is accused of inciting violence.
Police allege that he mobilised a group of individuals to confront and disrupt public order at Judins Hotel, where several voters had gathered. Members of the public reportedly suspected that the individuals had been transported from neighbouring sub-counties to influence the electoral process.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Police Public Relations Officer for the North Kyoga Region says police have deployed additional personnel to continue monitoring the situation in Apac after intelligence reports indicated that individuals allegedly aligned with Ongom had been stationed at several polling stations.
By URN
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