Kenyans Disrupt Ugandan Elections After Crossing Border

Tensions Flare as Hundreds of Kenyan Nationals Participate in Neighbouring NRM Party Polls

Hundreds of Kenyan nationals crossed into Uganda and caused significant disruption to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) village party elections on Monday, according to Ugandan officials.

The cross-border voting chaos primarily affected villages in Buteba Sub-county and Eastern Division in Uganda’s Busia District, which sits directly on the Kenya-Uganda border.

Voting was completely cancelled in four villages in Buteba Sub-county – Alupe, Amagoro, Abochet, and Okame – after Kenyan citizens from Teso South constituency reportedly crossed the porous border and demanded to participate in the electoral process.

“We were strictly following the official register, but when some Kenyans crossed and insisted on voting, chaos broke out, leading to the cancellation of the voting process,” said Mr Eric Masiga, Busia District NRM Chairperson.

The situation highlights the complex border dynamics between Kenya and Uganda in this region, where ethnic communities such as the Samia and Iteso maintain strong family ties across national boundaries, often blurring citizenship lines.

In Marachi D, Sofia A, and Sofia B villages in Eastern Division, the electoral process faced significant delays amid allegations that certain candidates had deliberately brought in Kenyan nationals to boost their chances of winning. Officials eventually allowed voting to continue after candidates reached a compromise on alternative voting methods.

“We tried using the official registers, but candidates rejected this procedure, and we had to allow people to line up without following the standard guidelines,” explained Ms Linet Lilian Acheng, the Eastern Division NRM Party Registrar.

The disruptions in Uganda’s border villages were part of wider electoral chaos that saw polls postponed in several other locations due to violence, disputes over voter registers, and allegations of electoral malpractice.

In one particularly dramatic incident, police in Rukaka village, Busime Sub-county, were forced to fire warning shots to disperse violent party members.

Meanwhile, in Kateke village, a successful candidate had his hand broken by his own son who had lost the election to him.

Kenyan authorities have not yet commented on these cross-border electoral incursions. However, political analysts note that such incidents could potentially strain diplomatic relations between the two East African nations if not addressed properly.

Border security remains a persistent challenge along the Kenya-Uganda frontier, with local residents often crossing freely for trade, family visits, and now apparently, to participate in neighbouring countries’ political processes.

Elections in the affected villages have been rescheduled, with Ugandan officials promising tighter controls to prevent foreign interference in their electoral process.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​