Hoima police on Friday evening fired teargas to disperse more than 60 Special Polling Constables (SPCs) from Hoima District and Hoima Oil City demanding for their unpaid allowances for overseeing Presidential and Parliamentary and Local Government elections on January 14 and 20 respectively.
This was the second time the polling constables were protesting for their unpaid allowance.
The constables first stormed Hoima Central Police Station with intent to meet the District Police Commander, Michael Ongica, and the officer in charge of operations, Charles Mubala.
There, they received Shs30,000 only instead of the Shs80,000, thus, irking them before deciding to storm the Hoima City Electoral Commission (EC) Offices at Kijungu Cell in Hoima City East Division.
Some of the protesters including Mildred Katusabe and Wilber Tumwesige said according to the agreement they signed with the EC, the polling constables were to receive Shs40,000 per day but did not get it all threatening not to continue overseeing the exercise.
When contacted on phone, Mr Ongica, the Hoima DPC confirmed that the polling constables were demanding for the money promising that they would be paid.
The state of affairs irked the polling constables who decided to storm the Hoima City EC offices for the second time.
However, the police manning the EC offices could not allow them access to the premises. Amidst the standoff, police were forced to fire teargas to disperse the irate protesters.
Kazi-njema News website could not get a comment from the City Returning Officer, Douglas Matsiko, since he was not in office by press time.
The special polling constables underwent a-three-month training and were promised a monthly pay of 300,000 shillings not including the allowances.
