Voters in Hoima District this morning head to polls in one of the most dramatic and hotly contested elections in the region.
Today, the district is expected to elect a woman member of parliament after Hoima Woman MP Tophace Kaahwa Byagira chose to represent the newly created Kikuube district.
The current race pits Harriet Mugenyi Businge, the National Resistance Movement –NRM candidate against Asinansi Nyakato, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate.
President Yoweri Museveni camped in the area on Monday and Tuesday to campaign for the NRM candidate and urged the locals to vote the party candidate if they wanted development.
Opposition figures, Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Gen. Mugisha Muntu and Robert Kyagulanyi were also involved in the campaigns for the FDC candidate. By last evening, the EC Chairman Justice Byabakama said they were ready to oversee an independent election.
However, at such a critical moment, the Hoima District Police Commander Christopher Katumba Kiggundu was Thursday transferred, the first transfer by Col Jesse Kamunanwire, the newly appointed Police Human Resource Director.
The transfer message released on Thursday evening indicates that Kiggundu moves from Hoima to the Environmental Protection Police Unit –EPPU and is replaced by Martin Okoyo, from Mubende District.
The same transfer message saw 65 other officers, including the Hoima Community Liaison Officer –CLO Faisal Magumba whose next deployment Remains Unclear, affected. According to the transfer message, Magumba is transferred to Albertine region yet Hoima where he has been working as CLO falls under the same region.
Other affected officers are; CP Herman Owomugisha who moves from Very Important Persons Protection Unit –VIPPU to Field Force Unit –FFU as commander, Khadija Namutebi, who moves from the Chief Police Commissariat –CPC to VIPPU as commander and Assistant Commissioner –ACP Moses Otaala, has been moved from VIPPU directorate of Welfare and Production as in charge mobilization and coordination to Operation Wealth Creation –OWC.
Assistant Commissioner of Police-ACP Patrick Lawot moves from Human Resource Management to police headquarters at Naguru as deputy commandant whereas ACP Anatoli Muleterwa has been appointed Acting Commissioner Community Affairs.
Phillip Mukasa the Katonga Regional spokesperson becomes District Police Commander Apac, Superintendent of Police Richard Tamale from Filed Force Unit to greater Masaka region as Deputy Regional Police Commander, while Superintendent of Police Moses Okello moves from the Field Force Unit to Wamala as Deputy Regional Police Commander.
Also, SP Fred Wakadubi moves from Kiira region to Rwenzori East as the Deputy Regional Police Commander while John Tibbs Kiconco is transferred from Kidepo to SIPI as Deputy Regional Police Commander and SP Nelson Soma, from Wamala region to Mt Moroto as Deputy Regional Police Commander.