Tensions are flaring within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in Soroti District, as Jacob Eyeru, the Chairperson of the National Youth Council and a declared aspirant for Soroti County MP seat, has formally petitioned the Soroti District NRM Registrar demanding an urgent investigation into what he terms “flagrant irregularities” during the recently concluded NRM grassroots elections in Ocokchan Sub-county.
In a letter dated June 1, 2025, addressed to the District Registrar, Eyeru alleges electoral malpractice, collusion between electoral officials and the incumbent MP Hon. Patrick Aeku, and outright manipulation of election results.
He has also threatened to withdraw from the upcoming NRM primaries unless his concerns are addressed by June 10.
“I am writing to demand that your office carry out a quick audit and give me assurances of the impartiality of registrars under your supervision,” Eyeru wrote, highlighting multiple incidents he claims undermine the integrity of the party’s internal electoral process in Soroti County.
Eyeru’s letter begins by recounting what he witnessed on the eve of the sub-county elections in Ocokchan.
According to him, the sub-county registrar was seen at a private meeting held at Hon. Aeku’s residence in Omodoi Parish, attended by select candidates and delegates.
“I would like to know why the registrar was in a meeting at night with the Member of Parliament and candidates aligned to him. What activity was sanctioned by the NRM Secretariat to take place at night in a private home?” he queried.
He suggests that this clandestine meeting may have laid the groundwork for electoral manipulation and favoritism.
One of the more striking allegations concerns the sudden appearance of Hon. Aeku’s name on the list of elected parish delegates.
Eyeru claims that during the reading of the delegate list on polling day, the registrar declared Hon. Aeku as the elected Vice Chairperson of Omodoi Parish, despite the fact that Aeku neither contested nor participated in the parish-level elections.
“It took intervention by the actual Parish Chairperson, who presented the authentic list of elected individuals, to quell an uproar from delegates. Hon. Aeku later backed off, but the question remains, how did his name appear on the list to begin with?”
Eyeru suspects collusion between the parish and sub-county registrars, and demanded an explanation about how such a significant error occurred and why the correction was accepted without verification from the parish-level officials.
Another controversial issue Eyeru raises pertains to the election of Mr. Okalang John as Sub-county Chairperson.
Eyeru contends that Okalang was originally nominated to run for Vice Chairperson, and had not paid nomination fees for the Chairperson position, yet he was suddenly declared the winner for the top position.
According to Eyeru, this switch was orchestrated by Hon. Aeku who allegedly convened a separate delegate meeting before polling began, ordering that Okalang contest for Chairperson instead.
“This is not only irregular but illegal. What due process was followed? Where are the receipts or records showing Okalang’s proper nomination for Chairperson?” Eyeru demanded.
Adding fuel to the fire, Eyeru claims that Okalang serves as the Parish Internal Security Officer (PISO) for Ocokchan Parish, a position that legally disqualifies him from participating in partisan politics as per the Political Parties and Organizations Act of 2015.
He argues that if these allegations hold, then Okalang’s election should be nullified and the runner-up, Mr. Awenu Richard, should be declared the rightful Sub-county Chairperson in line with NRM precedents.
Eyeru concludes his letter by questioning the impartiality of the district electoral team and warns that the integrity of the entire process is compromised if these irregularities go unaddressed.
“Soroti County has only four sub-counties and 126 villages. If the registrar for 38 of those villages is a ‘yes man’ to the incumbent, then the process is as good as predetermined,” he wrote.
He issued an ultimatum, demanding a public response and corrective action by June 10, failing which he indicated he may boycott the upcoming NRM parliamentary primaries.
By press time, efforts to get a comment from Hon. Patrick Aeku were unsuccessful. Calls to his known MTN number went unanswered and messages sent to his phone never yielded a positive response.
Likewise, the NRM District Registrar for Soroti was unavailable for comment. Staff at the party’s district office declined to speak to the press, stating they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
This latest development adds a dramatic twist to the pre-primary season in Soroti, a district where the NRM has struggled to maintain cohesion due to frequent internal disputes.
The rivalry between Aeku and Eyeru is fast emerging as one of the most watched political contests in Eastern Uganda.
Some political analysts say if the NRM fails to decisively address these allegations, it risks alienating its youthful support base and losing moral credibility ahead of the 2026 general elections.
About Author
