Lira City – The official declaration of NRM flag bearers for Oyam district has been met with open rebellion, as several high-profile losers rejected the results, alleging widespread malpractice and vowing to contest the 2026 general elections as independents. The fallout threatens to significantly fracture the ruling party's support base in the district.
District NRM Registrar Jackeline Adong announced Patrick Ogwang Obura as the party's parliamentary candidate for Oyam South and Jane Acilo as the flag bearer for Woman Member of Parliament following the recent primaries. However, the announcement was swiftly overshadowed by protests from defeated candidates who addressed reporters at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Lira City on Tuesday.
Leading the charge was Nommy Otyeno, the current Speaker of Oyam District Council, who contested the Oyam South NRM ticket. Otyeno declared the primary election "marred with a lot of vote rigging and altering of results."
"This result does not reflect the interest of the people," Otyeno stated emphatically. "Therefore, I will contest as an independent candidate in the general election. The final results will be given by the voters in 2026."
Moses Opito, another Oyam South aspirant, echoed Otyeno's sentiments, condemning the management of the primary. "It’s too bad that the primary election was not properly managed," Opito said. He presented a specific grievance: "Even the declaration form was not given to me, which points out votes were altered." For Opito, the perceived injustice made his next step clear: "So for him, it’s automatic to contest as an independent."
The controversy extended to the Woman MP race. Bless Ajok, who contested the NRM flag, directly accused party officials of manipulating the outcome. "The NRM registrars altered the results," Ajok alleged. "The results were just written to favour some contestants and this does not reflect the will of the people." Following the others, Ajok confirmed, "Therefore she will also contest in the general election."
Otyeno delivered a stark historical warning to the NRM, highlighting a persistent electoral weakness in Oyam South. "For the last twenty years, NRM flag bearers have not won the Oyam South seat," he pointed out. He questioned the party's strategy following the disputed primary: "How will they win this time? The person who is strong has been left out and the flag given to a weak candidate." This statement framed the internal dispute as a potential continuation of the NRM's losing streak in the constituency.
The coordinated rejection of the primary results by Otyeno, Opito, and Ajok, all prominent figures within the district's political landscape, represents a significant challenge to NRM unity in Oyam. Their defections to run as independents threaten to split the NRM vote in the 2026 general elections, potentially benefiting opposition candidates and making the party's quest to finally capture the Oyam South seat even more difficult. The allegations of result alteration and poor management further fuel perceptions of internal dysfunction within the ruling party's electoral processes.
The NRM district leadership and Registrar Jackeline Adong were not immediately available for comment on the specific allegations raised by the aggrieved candidates.
