By Henry Okello
TORORO
In a heated harmonization meeting held on Thursday, 3rd July 2025 at the Tororo district chambers, candidates in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) expressed deep concerns about the integrity of the upcoming parliamentary and council elections, citing fears of bias from electoral officials and party leadership.
The meeting, led by Joseph Kadoketch, the main registrar for Tororo district, aimed to disseminate the NRM election guidelines ahead of the party primaries.
During the meeting, candidates, particularly those vying for parliamentary seats, alleged that favoritism was being extended to select candidates due to their affiliations with electoral officials.
John Opio, a candidate for the Tororo municipality MP race, was among the first to raise alarm, revealing his insider knowledge of election manipulation that he claims has plagued previous NRM primaries. He urged party officials to consider relocating the district’s NRM office, currently situated in a house owned by a candidate, to ensure a level playing field.
“There can be no fair elections in Tororo as long as the NRM office is located in a politician’s residence,” Opio stated.
His call for action was echoed by fellow candidate Edward Okware, who recounted experiences of mistreatment by electoral officials during the 2020 party primaries, alleging that the office’s proximity to a candidate’s residence raises conflicts of interest.
“The NRM office must be moved for these elections to be free and fair,” Okware emphasized.
Annet Nyaketcho, another contender from Tororo North County, also voiced her frustrations, claiming that the current NRM chairperson for Tororo county political district, Godfrey Otheino, is selectively promoting certain candidates by misusing party structures.
Nyaketcho stressed the importance of transparency within the party and criticized the influence of a few individuals who seek to control candidate selection.
“We cannot allow a minority to dictate who gets to represent us,” she asserted, calling on the NRM leadership to intervene.
Jacinta Olwenyi, another candidate called for a balanced ground for all candidates to avoid internal conflicts that might make others leave the party.
Phibby Awere, a candidate for Tororo woman Mp race, decried continuous removal of her posters and asked security to take charge before she takes the law into her hands due their failure to offer protection.
Meanwhile some candidates also expressed worry for the mushrooming goons in different constituencies planted to attack other candidates.
Annet Nyaketcho and Richard Owere Machicka mentioned that there are people who are trailing them particularly in their constituency. This reaction followed Kodoketch’s reading of elections guidelines to the candidates, including mandatory joint campaigns and banning of hate speech among others.
He also informed the candidates that the party will provide the public address system in all the campaign Venues.
