Ballot stuffing has sparked a major scandal in Kisoro District following the January 22, 2026 local government council elections. Police arrested four polling officials and one voter after uncovering serious electoral violations. These included pre-marked ballots and tampering with voter registers. Notably, Kigezi regional police spokesperson ASP Elly Maate confirmed the arrests. Consequently, public confidence in the vote has come under serious scrutiny.
The first incident occurred at Gihora Polling Station in Buzigambogo Village around 1:30 pm on election day. A voter named Edison Hakizimana—also known as Hakiza—stayed unusually long inside the voting booth. As a result, alert residents grew suspicious and detained him. Shortly after, a polling constable discovered 10 ballot papers in his possession. Eight of them were already marked. Specifically, seven favored Richard Sanvura, the NRM candidate for LC5 councillor, while one supported Flavia Nyiramahoro, a women’s councillor aspirant. Two ballots remained blank. During questioning, Hakizimana claimed that presiding officer Collins Tuyisenge gave him the ballots. Therefore, police immediately arrested Tuyisenge. This act of ballot stuffing not only broke the law but also betrayed voters’ trust.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Ndayisaba—the incumbent independent LC5 councillor and Sanvura’s rival—responded quickly. He praised the community for their vigilance. “I commend the residents for catching Hakiza,” he said. “We now have strong evidence together with the police.” In light of this, Ndayisaba plans to challenge the election results in court. He warned that any outcome declared by Returning Officer Daniel Nayebare would be legally compromised due to the ballot stuffing.
Earlier that same day, another troubling incident unfolded at Kagangu Polling Station in Muramba Sub-county. Around noon, several voters noticed their names were already ticked off the register—even though they hadn’t voted yet. Some of them live in Kampala but found their names marked in Kisoro, hundreds of kilometers away. Understandably, confusion turned into chaos. Police responded swiftly to restore order. Investigators soon focused on presiding officer Samuel Kabira and assistant Bahati Emmanuel. They allegedly pre-ticked the register and engaged in ballot stuffing. In response, the Electoral Commission suspended voting at the station to prevent further irregularities.
Police later recovered two ballot boxes as evidence—one transparent plastic and one metallic black. According to District Police Commander Cosmas Edatu, investigators are still compiling field reports. They will issue a full statement once the inquiry concludes. Importantly, these arrests come amid nationwide concerns about the 2026 election cycle. Across Uganda, authorities have reported biometric system failures, delayed voting, isolated violence, and hundreds of fraud cases. Many of these involve ballot stuffing or voter bribery.
Ultimately, the Kisoro cases highlight how easily electoral integrity can collapse when oversight fails. When trusted officials manipulate the process, every honest voter suffers. Moreover, rural communities—who often face barriers to participation—are hit hardest by such betrayals. The involvement of polling staff makes the offense even more damaging. As legal proceedings move forward, the nation watches closely. If justice prevails, it could deter future attempts at ballot stuffing. After all, free and fair elections depend not just on rules—but on people who uphold them.
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