The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries held on July 17, 2025, in Uganda have ignited significant unrest, with several defeated candidates announcing plans to run as independents in the 2026 general elections.

Citing widespread irregularities, voter intimidation, and allegations of bribery, aspirants in districts such as Kwania, Otuke, Amolatar, Lira, Kole, and Alebtong are mobilizing support, deepening divisions within the ruling party.

In Kwania County, Eron Tonny secured the NRM flag with 7,732 votes, but incumbent MP Tony Ayo and Patrick Nelson Adupa have rejected the results, alleging voter register manipulation and intimidation.

Similarly, in Amolatar’s Kioga County, Adupa Felix was declared the winner, but rivals claim fake declaration forms and voter suppression tainted the process.

Otuke County sees incumbent MP Paul Omara facing challenges from Richard Omara Awio, David Obong Oleke, and Bosco Odongo Obote, with accusations of electoral malpractice fueling their decisions to go independent.

The NRM Election Disputes Tribunal has received over 380 petitions, including high-profile cases like Theodore Ssekikubo’s in Lwemiyaga County, where he alleges army interference and falsified voter registers.

In Namutumba, Persis Namuganza has publicly broken with the NRM, declaring an independent bid after a disputed poll. Posts on X reflect the growing discontent, with candidates like Twaha Kagabo citing “glaring irregularities” and voter bribery in Bukoto South. Despite President Museveni’s calls for unity, the tribunal’s ongoing efforts have yet to quell the unrest, with fresh polls ordered in areas like Amolatar due to logistical failures and violence.

Political analysts warn that the surge in independent candidacies could fragment the NRM’s voter base, potentially weakening its dominance in the 2026 elections. In the Lango sub-region, where 96 aspirants competed for just 31 parliamentary slots, unopposed candidates like Denis Hamson Obua in Alebtong and Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng in Lira City highlight the party’s strength in some areas, but the broader picture reveals a fractured party struggling to reconcile internal divisions.

As the 2026 general elections approach, the NRM faces a critical test of its ability to unify its ranks and address grievances. For now, the aggrieved candidates in Kwania, Otuke, Amolatar, Lira, Kole, and Alebtong are forging ahead, determined to challenge the party’s flagbearers on their own terms.

Written by

Francis Oyet

Oyet Francis Opwonya, known commonly as Francis L’Oyet is a Ugandan South Sudanese investigative journalist and software engineer. Oyet is the founder and CEO of Oyet Broadcasting Services (OBS Network), an innovation hub and headquarters of The Northern Press in Uganda and The Malakal Press, located in Malakal City, Upper Nile State in the Greater Upper Nile region of South Sudan