The State Minister for Fisheries and Serere District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Hellen Adoa, has strongly condemned the growing trend of vandalism targeting campaign posters, warning that such acts reflect poorly on the morals of the youth and undermine a fair election environment.
Speaking at Omagoro Health Centre II during her ongoing Village to Village campaigns, aimed at retaining the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag in the upcoming party primaries, Minister Adoa expressed deep concern about what she described as “a bad character” taking root among the young people, especially those under 18 years.
“It will be a big challenge to young people, especially this small young generation below 18 years. They are all over centers shouting and tearing posters of different candidates,” Adoa said.
“It is not good because people spend money to print these posters. When you tear them left and right, it’s a bad character. And for those of us who are born again, we even believe it brings curses to a family.”
She alleged that some of her political rivals have been encouraging this behavior by luring youth with alcohol early in the morning.
“Yes, I noticed that there are some candidates who buy the young people alcohol to take as early as 6AM, and they start shouting in the centers,” she said. “As a mother, I have told my supporters that’s not the way to go.”
Minister Adoa, who is seeking re-election as the NRM flag bearer for Serere District Woman MP, distanced herself from such tactics, asserting her campaign’s commitment to ethical standards.
“I don’t buy waragi or give alcohol to my children or my supporters. I don’t buy opium. I don’t want those kinds of things,” she said.
“Because at the end of these campaigns, the children would have problems with their livers and all this, which is really not good.”
She stressed that campaigns should not be a platform to ruin the health and future of young people but should instead be an opportunity to guide them toward responsible living.
“It’s better to encourage them, in the morning, to go to the garden. When I come to campaign, they can come,” she advised.
Minister Adoa also used the opportunity to highlight the looming threat of food insecurity in Serere and the broader Teso sub-region if families do not prioritize farming even during the campaign season.
“Right now in Serere and other places, almost every family is hand-to-mouth. They are buying food,” she noted.
“If we continue with this kind of thing, next year as Ugandans, we are going to face a challenge of famine.”
She urged voters to be mindful of the rainy season and called on them to balance their civic engagement with farming responsibilities.
“I want to warn people in advance that as much as we are campaigning, it’s also raining. People should first go to the gardens before they come to listen to us at 9AM or 10AM,” she said.
Adoa further cautioned the youth against the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption, linking it to health challenges and impaired judgment.
“They should desist from taking excessive alcohol because it will destroy their liver, it will destroy their brains,” she warned.
In a message to fellow candidates, the minister appealed for a spirit of sportsmanship and unity, even as the political competition heats up.
“I want to encourage all the candidates: when you see that you are not able to catch up, it’s better to support a better candidate than you,” she advised.
Adoa’s remarks come amid a tense primary campaign season in Serere District, with multiple aspirants vying for the NRM ticket.
She is facing competition from Esther Lucy Acom and Florence Iyogil who have also stepped up grassroots mobilization.
Her “Village to Village” approach is designed to give her direct access to voters in small communities, reinforcing her message of continuity, development, and responsible leadership.
She has pledged to maintain high ethical standards in her campaign and has urged her supporters to do the same, promising not to resort to bribery, alcohol distribution, or intimidation.
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