Africa-Press – Uganda. A political storm has engulfed Serere District following the contentious declaration of State Minister for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa, as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer for the Woman MP seat in the 2026 general election.
NRM District Registrar Michael Olobo declared Adoa the winner with 32,922 votes against her closest rival, Esther Lucy Acom, who polled 21,175.
But the announcement has triggered widespread outrage, with Acom and her supporters rejecting the results as fraudulent and calling for the party leadership to intervene.
“What happened in Serere was not an election. It was a hijacking of the people’s will,” said Acom in a fiery statement.
“We reject the results. We cannot bow to fraud.”
Allegations of voter bribery, forgery, and manipulation have emerged from across the district, casting doubt on the integrity of the process.
In Kyere Sub-county, witnesses claimed that voters were coerced and bribed by Adoa’s agents, who allegedly paid Shs20,000 per voter and filled forged declaration forms in the absence of polling officials.
“There were no registrars at the polling station,” said one anonymous voter from Omagoro. “Adoa’s team came with coupons, bribed voters, and wrote the results themselves.”
The situation was no different in Kateta Sub-county, where elections reportedly did not take place in at least seven polling stations — including Abokony, Anyangan A, and Anyangan B — due to registrar withdrawals.
Locals allege that once officials sensed overwhelming support for Acom, they fled with election materials and later submitted falsified results.
“How can a station that never voted submit results? This is criminal,” said a furious voter from Abokony.
In Kasilo County, residents accuse registrars of tampering with results, erasing Acom’s victories, and inflating Adoa’s vote count.
The registrar, Michael Olobo, is at the center of the storm, with locals accusing him of colluding with the incumbent minister to undermine the process.
“This is not just electoral malpractice; it’s treason against the people’s will,” declared a youth leader from Kyere. “Olobo must be held accountable.”
Protests have since spread throughout the district, with residents flooding local radio stations and village meetings to denounce what they describe as a stolen election.
Many have urged Acom to stand as an independent candidate, arguing that the party’s internal processes have failed to deliver justice.
“Asia Adoa has robbed the victory of the people,” said Esther Amoding from Kadungulu. “She bribed her way through. We call on President Museveni to reject this illegitimate outcome.”
Francis Okello of Kyere echoed the same frustration: “We are NRM, but not slaves to injustice. Acom is the people’s choice. This battle is not over.”
Despite pressure from party officials to concede, Acom remains defiant.
“We are all members of the NRM, but I stand with the people. I will never take this betrayal for granted,” she said.
Her supporters are now mobilizing for what could be a major showdown in the general election, should she opt to go independent.
The controversy has raised serious questions about the credibility of the NRM’s internal electoral system, particularly in politically sensitive regions.
If left unaddressed, observers warn, the situation in Serere could spiral into a broader crisis of legitimacy for the ruling party ahead of the 2026 polls.
At the heart of the uproar is not just a disputed result, but a demand for electoral justice and accountability — a demand that Serere’s residents say they are ready to fight for.
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