Responding to the allegations, Bishop Kagodo said the nursing school is currently on holiday and that he was not aware of any such activities taking place at the institution.
Mukono North Member of Parliament Abdallah Kiwanuka Mulimamayuuni has alleged that some individuals are using students enrolled in educational institutions to influence the forthcoming Local Council (LC) elections by illegally registering them as voters in villages where they do not ordinarily reside.
Mulimamayuuni made the claims during a meeting with the Bishop of Mukono Diocese, Rt. Rev. Enos Kitto Kagodo, at the bishop’s official residence in Mukono town, where legislators from Greater Mukono had gathered to support the construction of Sts. Philip and Andrew’s Cathedral.
The legislator said his office had received reports that students had been entered onto village voters’ registers despite only living in the areas temporarily for their studies.
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He argued that LC elections are intended for residents of a particular village and warned that allowing non-residents to participate could undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
According to Mulimamayuuni, one of the institutions mentioned in the allegations is the Mukono Diocese School of Nursing and Midwifery (MUDISONAMS). He appealed to Bishop Kagodo to investigate the claims and take action before tensions escalate.
“I have received information that there are groups preparing to confront any student who attempts to vote in their village elections. I am told they have already organised canes to stop them, but we should not wait for such a situation to unfold. Bishop, you are in a position to address this,” Mulimamayuuni said.
Responding to the allegations, Bishop Kagodo said the nursing school is currently on holiday and that he was not aware of any such activities taking place at the institution.
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“That is what I know, but I will make inquiries into the allegations. However, we should not forget that, as a large institution, it also has members of staff who permanently reside there. We cannot dictate how eligible residents exercise their civic rights,” the bishop said.
Mulimamayuuni said the concerns come amid allegations by several opposition politicians that previous elections were marred by irregularities. He claimed they had also received information that security forces could be deployed during the upcoming LC elections, alleging that the deployment could be used to influence the electoral process.
The meeting was attended by legislators from Mukono, Buikwe, Kayunga and Buvuma districts, who had paid a courtesy visit to Bishop Kagodo to discuss community issues and reaffirm their support for the construction of the diocesan cathedral.
Among those present were Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke, Mukono District Woman MP Sheilah Draville Amaniyo, Mukono South MP Robert Maseruka, and Buikwe South MP Jimmy Kanaabi.
During the meeting, the legislators also pledged financial support towards the cathedral project, whose second phase is estimated to cost sh11bn. Nambooze committed sh10m, Amaniyo and Kanaabi sh5m each, while Maseruka and Mulimamayuuni each pledged sh2m.
Once completed, the cathedral is expected to accommodate 6,000 worshippers.
