Attempting to Fight Fake News, EC Tweet Data That Doesn’t Add Up

First published by Uganda Radio Network

In an attempt to counter what it calls fake news, the Electoral Commission (EC) has released the declaration form from Anyang polling station in Padyere County, Nebbi District. However, the figures on the declaration form don’t add up and contradict what is on its tally sheet.

The declaration form tweeted by EC shows that 323 votes were cast at that polling station yet after totalling the votes that candidates got and invalid votes; the figure comes to 247 votes. This gives a difference of 76 votes.

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Patrick Amuriat got 6 votes, Kalembe Nancy and John Katumba got one vote each, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine got 8 votes, Mwesigye Fred and Mugisha Muntu got 4 votes each, Henry Tumukunde got 2 votes and Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) got 198 votes.

Twenty-three invalid votes were registered at the polling station. The declaration form shows there were no spoilt votes at this polling station. The tweet is in response to a declaration form (attached to it) that shows that Bobi Wine scored 84 votes at this polling station.

“Please, disregard the misleading information on a doctored DR Form. The DR Form with genuine results as received and uploaded on the Electoral Commission website is provided here,” Electoral Commission tweeted trying to dispel results of what it called a fake declaration form.

However, going by the declaration form that EC says is fake, the total number of votes adds up to 323 votes as recorded on EC’s declaration form whose figures don’t add up. EC spokesperson Paul Bukenya says they are looking into the issue and will give an explanation of the figures on its genuine declaration form, which don’t add up.

The tweet has been a sensation with many people referring to it as an indication of manipulated election results.

“The Ugandan Electoral Commission just released this as an official result to dispel rumours of rigging. Hilariously and shockingly, it shows ballot manipulation. The number of votes cast doesn’t add up. Here is how it was fixed,” Nic Cheeseman, a professor of democracy at University of Birmingham and co-author of How to Rig an Election tweeted.

“…rather wonderfully, in trying to protect itself from rigging, the Electoral Commission has revealed exactly how it was done,” Cheeseman added.