Kapchorwa,Uganda : Rtd Hw Kitiyo Patrick, an aspiring Member of Parliament for Kapchorwa Municipality, has formally petitioned the NRM party leadership following the cancellation of the recently concluded party primaries held on 17th July 2025.
In a letter dated 21st July addressed to the Chairman of the NRM Electoral Commission, Kitiyo expressed deep concern over what he described as a flawed and unjust process that led to the annulment of the elections in Kapchorwa District and Municipality. Kitiyo claimed the decision to cancel the entire electoral process was rushed and one-sided, taken without hearing from all parties involved, thereby violating the principles of natural justice.
Kitiyo argued that the issues raised such as over-voting in Cheptarich Sub-county and failure to declare results from Chema Parish were isolated incidents that could have been addressed without cancelling the entire process. He said the Electoral Commission should have considered alternatives like re-tallying results or investigating the affected areas specifically rather than punishing all candidates, especially those who played no role in the alleged irregularities.
The former magistrate also accused the NRM Electoral Commission Chairman of usurping the powers of the party’s tribunal, which he said is the proper body to adjudicate electoral disputes. He emphasized that errors by NRM officials should not be used as a basis to penalize innocent participants who invested heavily both financially and emotionally in the primaries.
Kitiyo appealed to the party to urgently revisit the decision, calling it not only unfortunate but also a significant setback for party cohesion and democracy. He warned that taking the process back to square one without addressing the underlying concerns could further damage trust in the party’s internal systems.
President Yoweri Museveni, in a statement released via his X handle @KagutaMuseveni on 22nd July questioned Why Dr. Tanga Odoi would didn’t change and announce the proper results, noting that the voting was by lining up, during the day and everybody saw the results. ‘How does anybody change that, other than making oneself a fool?” The President, however, clarified that legal guidance has advised against Tanga Odoi correcting a mistake he made, stating that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the party’s Tribunal a legal committee that will address both political and legal concerns, guided by the same facts that led ISO and CID to arrest and charge those involved in electoral malpractices.
While stating his commitment to the party, Kitiyo proposed that should a rerun be conducted, the process must be handled more transparently, with neutral administrators, proper security deployment, early display of registers, and adequate facilitation for polling agents. He called for oversight from the NRM headquarters to ensure fairness and credibility in the next round.
The petition has been copied to the top party leadership, including the NRM National Chairman, Vice Chairman, and General Secretary. As the NRM prepares for potential reruns across the contested areas, the party’s response to Kitiyo’s petition is likely to be a key test of its commitment to fairness, internal democracy, and procedural integrity.
