NRM SUSPENDS JOINT CAMPAIGNS IN ZOMBO DISTRICT CITING CHAOS, LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES

A photo montage of some of the candidates in Zombo.
 
By Mike Rwothomio
Zombo
 
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) leadership in Zombo District has suspended joint campaign activities for the party’s primaries, citing “threats, chaotic scenes, and insufficient logistical support” to sustain coordinated electoral efforts across the district. 
 
This decision, announced on July 6, 2025, at the Zombo District headquarters, followed an extensive consultative meeting involving NRM party leaders, duly nominated candidates, their representatives, the District Security Committee, and select campaign agents.
 
Prisca Unegiu, the NRM District Registrar for Zombo, declared that the suspension was necessitated by escalating tensions, misunderstandings among candidates, and a lack of financial resources to facilitate joint campaign activities.
 
Unegiu directed candidates to “engage in peaceful individual campaigns” ahead of the NRM primaries scheduled for July 17, 2025, and the subsequent general elections in 2026.
 
The suspension aligns with challenges observed elsewhere in Uganda, as reported in other districts like Kabale, Sembabule, Bundibugyo, and Rwampara, where logistical constraints and internal rivalries have disrupted joint campaign efforts.
 
The NRM Party Constitution, as a guiding framework for the party’s electoral processes, emphasizes discipline, unity, and fairness in internal elections. While it does not explicitly mandate joint campaigns, Article 44(4) of the NRM Constitution underscores the importance of coordinated campaign activities to foster party cohesion and minimize electoral malpractices. 
 
The constitution empowers the NRM Electoral Commission (EC), chaired by Dr. Tanga Odoi, to issue guidelines ensuring campaigns are conducted in a manner that promotes “transparency, accountability, and consensus-building.”
 
Despite these benefits, the suspension in Zombo highlights logistical and coordination challenges that undermine the implementation of joint campaigns, as seen in other districts.
 
During the consultative meeting, Ora County MP Songa Biyika Lawrence proposed an alternative to physical joint campaigns, suggesting a “joint radio talk show” to reach a wider audience efficiently. 
 
However, Registrar Unegiu rejected the proposal, citing a lack of resources unless candidates were willing to fund it themselves.
 
Grace Freedom Kwiocwiny, a candidate for Ora County, challenged the decision to suspend joint campaigns, urging the registrar to adhere to procedural fairness in decision-making, as stipulated by the NRM Constitution’s emphasis on transparency and due process.
 
Candidates’ reactions to the suspension were mixed.
 
Gloria Oroma, a contender for the Zombo Woman MP seat, supported the resolution, noting that “time is limited, and whether we have joint campaigns or not, little will change.”
 
Candidates  Alex Jagenu (Ora County) and Jane Evelyne Othora (Zombo Woman MP) welcomed the decision, arguing that individual campaigns would allow them to engage grassroots voters in remote areas inaccessible through sub-county-based joint rallies.
 
Nobert Okello, a candidate for Okoro County, endorsed the suspension but emphasized the need for security to ensure fairness and compliance with electoral laws.
 
Fiona Giramia, another Zombo Woman MP candidate, downplayed the importance of joint campaigns but raised concerns about electoral misconduct, alleging that opponents had openly abused and insulted her during campaigns in Aka Sub-County. She called for security intervention to address such violations.
 
Apenjunga Angala Pascal, a candidate for the LCV chairperson position, expressed a preference for continuing joint campaigns for his race, humorously stating his intent to “strip my opponents naked” through competitive engagement.
 
Political Context in Zombo
 
Zombo District, a staunch NRM stronghold, has witnessed significant candidate turnout for the primaries, with nine aspirants vying for the Woman MP seat, five for Ora County, five for Okoro County, and three for the LCV chairperson position. 
 
With a population exceeding 300,000, the district’s political landscape is highly charged as candidates employ diverse strategies to secure votes.However, the commercialization of politics remains a pressing concern, with voters citing instances of vote-buying, which contradicts President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s directives against electoral bribery. 
 
Public grievances also center on inadequate social services, including the deplorable 119 km Nebbi-Goli-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr-Vura road and the urgent need for a general hospital in Zombo.
 
Zombo’s Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Festus Ayikobua, issued a stern warning against “chaos and violence,” affirming security agencies’ readiness to maintain peace during the campaign period. 
 
He urged candidates to coordinate with security forces to ensure orderly and lawful campaign activities, aligning with the NRM’s commitment to protecting life and property, as outlined in its 2021-2026 Manifesto.
 
The suspension of joint campaigns in Zombo underscores the logistical and financial challenges facing the NRM’s electoral strategy, despite the party’s constitutional emphasis on coordinated and disciplined campaigns. 
 
Zombo's NRM Party members argued that as candidates pivot to individual campaigns, the NRM leadership must address these challenges to ensure a credible and peaceful primary process ahead of the 2026 general.