Capt. Mike Mukula, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, Vice-Chairperson, Eastern Region, has blamed the Vice President, Rtd. Major Jesca Alupo for ignoring the main NRM campaign task-force during the Soroti East by-election and chose to work in isolation.
The comments by Ariko, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM party follow his victory in a by-election held on Thursday. He polled 9, 407 votes and defeated his closest rival Moses Attan Okia who had 8,771 votes while Pascal Amuriat, the Uganda Peoples’ Congress-UPC party candidate got 115 votes.
During the candidate's briefing by the Electoral Commission and security agencies at Soroti University on Wednesday evening, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the FDC Secretary General tasked the commission and security heads to explain why the numberless vehicles are on the streets.
Kyagulanyi joined Atan's last campaign rally in Moruapesur ward on Tuesday evening. He said that the opposition parties are stronger together and will work hard to ensure that Attan reclaims his seat.
The coordinators announced that they have crossed today in the presence of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in Moruapesur Primary school during his campaign for the NRM candidate Herbert Edmond Ariko.
Asio said that their decision to cross to the ruling party was informed by the NUP’s decision to back the FDC’s Moses Attan Okia for the Soroti East by- election without consulting the party members on the ground. Asio who came last with 596 votes in the Soroti City Woman MP race in 2021 general elections says she is demobilizing NUP for the NRM.
Trouble started in June as the party embarked on sourcing a new flag bearer after abandoning Jimmy Ekemu, who represented the party in the 2020 polls. According to the NRM Constitution, the flag bearer serves for a term of five years in office, unless terminated on legal grounds.
Alupo joins a host of other government officials including the Prime Minister, Robbinah Nabbanja, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, and the NRM bigwigs who have camped in Soroti to rally support for the NRM candidate.
On Thursday, Amuriat called off his first-day campaigns in Opiyai, Kengere, and Pioneer wards following the death of the UPC councilor in Opiyai ward. He again failed to turn up for the second day of campaigns at Kichinjaji and Akisim wards.
According to the campaign roadmap, Amuriat was expected to launch his campaigns in Opiyai ward in line with the harmonized program issued by the Electoral Commission on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Electoral Commission in Soroti City nominated Herbert Edmund Ariko, the National Resistance Movement- NRM candidate, and Pascal Amuriat from the Uganda People’s Congress- UPC. This brings to three, the number of candidates nominated for the Soroti East by-election slated for July 28, 2022.
Seven aspirants who had picked up the nomination forms were Moses Attan Okia Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Hebert Edmond Ariko National Resistance Movemet (NRM), Pascal Amuriat Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), Joseph Ogita (Independent) Stephen Omoding (Independent), Herbert Omoding Olaboro (Independent) and Isaac Okore Democratic Party.
Attan, the first and the only candidate nominated on Monday, the first day of nominations for the Soroti East MP by-elections, told Journalists that unlike his competitor, Herbert Edmund Ariko, who was in Parliament at the time of the creation of Soroti City, he had no role in the creation or alteration of the boundaries.
Achieng told voters that if they vote for the NRM candidate she will make sure that all the wards in Soroti City East get health centers. Ogwang told voters that they are going to pitch camp in Soroti City until the campaigns are done on July 28, 2022.
Besides the NRM top officials led by the NRM Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, Mike Mukula, and the party Secretariat headed by the director in charge of mobilization, Rosemary Sseninde, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, the State Minister in charge of Economic Monitoring, Peter Ogwang and a host of MPs have also joined the campaigns.
