Engineer Ian Kyeyune, once a dominant political figure in Wakiso District, has returned to active politics after securing victory in the Wakiso District LC5 chairperson race, marking his first major electoral win since losing the seat to Matia Lwanga Bwanika in the 2011 general election.
According to results declared by the district returning officer, Kyeyune polled 177,710 votes to defeat his closest challenger, National Unity Platform candidate Najja Nasiif, who garnered 99,235 votes.
Democratic Front candidate Flavia Nakafero finished a distant third with 10,597 votes.
Tension erupted at the Wakiso tally centre moments before the final declaration of results.
Najja Nasiif, who had spent close to 18 hours at the tally centre compiling results, reacted angrily when the returning officer, Tolbert Musinguzi, called Kyeyune forward.
Nasiif accused the returning officer of announcing false results, insisting that his own tally showed he had more votes than Kyeyune.
He repeatedly shouted, “Mr Tolbert, do the right thing,” as security personnel moved in to restrain him.
The situation escalated as police officers attempted to remove Nasiif from the hall. Witnesses said he resisted strongly, clinging to the exit door and at one point grabbing electric wires and metallic fixtures as security officers tried to escort him out.
For about 15 minutes, police struggled to subdue him before eventually detaching him from the door and wires and carrying him away from the tally centre.
However this prompted police officers to drag him out of the tally room and in the eventual harassment tore his blue pair of trousers leaving him almost half naked at the entrance of the Wakiso district tally centre.
According to Musinguzi, the total number of valid votes cast for candidates in the election were 287,542 votes with 3,003 votes rejected to account for the 290, 545 counted votes while 578 ballot papers were spoilt during the elections.
It remains unclear where Nasiif was taken, as journalists were barred from recording the incident or following the security operation.
