NOMINATION FEES: NRM STRUGGLES TO ATTRACT CANDIDATES IN SPECIAL INTEREST POSITIONS

Potential NRM candidate registering to participate in party structure elective position.

By Dramadri Federick
Arua City
 
Members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party have attributed the failure to attract candidates in the party structure elective positions to the hike in nomination fees terming it unfavorable.
 
The party’s electoral commission chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi communicated on April 10, 2025 that nomination forms for all party elective positions be paid for, for instance the LC1 Chairpersons pay 10,000, Sub County and town council councilors pay 20,000 while NRM League chairpersons and their executives’ pay 100,000 whereas the party also shifted village party nominations to be conducted at sub counties or town councils and divisions. These changes to many NRM incumbents, are the reasons for shunning the exercise.
 
Ijaga Samary the LC2 chairperson Kenya ward in Arua city sights lack of proper information from the party headquarters about the ongoing party structure activities.
 
“There’s no information, this system came abruptly, and that’s why people are complaining that there is no money to pick the nomination forms,” Ijaga explained.
 
Whereas William Bilea the vice district chairman Arua district also a party flag bearer, raised concerns on the abrupt hike in the cost of nomination fees saying it deprives interested poor persons from participating in leadership.
 
“It is very unfair, maybe the party should revise the prices, like previous as councilors to the district we paid 100,000 shillings but this has increased by 100% to 200,000 shillings,” Bilea revealed.
 
NRM party commenced its party grassroots’ structure elections on April 25, 2025 to identify the party flag bearers who will intern compete with candidates from other political parties.
 
Meanwhile Fahad Ijotre, NRM Party registrar Arua central division confirms that they have registered poor turnout in the positions of special interest groupings compared to those interested in becoming flag bearers in LC 1 Positions.
 
“Since April 25, 2025, I registered only one person in people with disability position, the flag bearer of LC1 and those other structures like mainstream youth, women, Veterans and Elderly, there’re no people in those positions,” Ijotre said.
 
However, James Emvi the NRM Administrator Arua city in his response revealed that the hike in the nomination fees is to deter hooligans from pouring into the party elections.
 
“There’s financial implication in elections, so if you don’t have money how will you manage campaigns,” Emvi questioned
 
The NRM party structure nominations are expected to conclude April 30, 2025 and those successfully nominated will campaign for five days between May 01 and 05 and their elections are scheduled for May 06, 2025.