Africa-Press – Uganda. What was expected to be a peaceful and orderly internal election for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Lira District on Friday ended in chaos, forcing the suspension of the voting exercise.
Hundreds of party delegates from across the district had gathered at Ogur Seed Secondary School in Ogur Sub-county to elect leaders under various party structures.
The atmosphere was initially calm, with candidates hiring school buses to transport their supporters to the venue.
However, tension soon erupted when some delegates allegedly attempted to participate in more than one category of voting.
According to witnesses, after casting their votes in the Workers’ League and Entrepreneurship categories, several delegates refused to vacate the venue, raising suspicions that they intended to vote again in other categories.
The situation quickly degenerated into confusion and shouting matches among rival camps, prompting election officials to halt the process.
The Lira District NRM Registrar, Moses Okello, announced the indefinite suspension of elections for the mainstream and women’s leagues.
“We have suspended the elections for the mainstream and women’s leagues due to the disorder. We shall communicate a new date after a thorough review of the situation,” said Okello.
The election for Lira District NRM chairperson has attracted competition, with Lira District Woman MP Linda Agnes Auma challenging the incumbent Sam Engola, a veteran politician and senior party member.
Auma openly accused the election registrar and her opponent of meddling in the process, alleging bias and irregularities.
She described the cancellation of the election as “kicks of a dying horse.”
“The registrar is interfering with the election. This suspension is nothing but the kicks of a dying horse. I am ready to skin them through the votes,” says Auma.
But Engola, who has held various leadership roles in the party for decades, defended his bid to retain the seat.
“I have served this party faithfully for years. This contest is about experience and loyalty to our core values. I have been moving around and found out that the voters had been hidden,” he said.
While Lira District elections were marred by controversy, the process was smooth in Lira City where Minister of Health and Lira City Woman MP, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, was declared unopposed as NRM Chairperson.
Speaking after her declaration, Dr Aceng emphasized the need to foster unity within the party and pledged to reach out to members who had previously distanced themselves from the NRM.
“This is an opportunity to unite our people and strengthen the NRM in Lira City. I will prioritize reconciliation and inclusivity,” she said.
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