The campaign for the position of National Resistance Movement (NRM) Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda continues to heat up, with businessman and political contender David Calvin Echodu receiving a rousing, hero’s welcome from party delegates and supporters in Kapelebyong District.
His visit, part of a broader tour of the Teso sub-region, was marked by strong endorsements from local leaders and a direct challenge to incumbent Capt. Mike Mukula’s style of leadership.
From the moment his convoy rolled into Kapelebyong Town, Echodu was met by jubilant crowds waving NRM flags, chanting slogans, and lining the roads to catch a glimpse of the man many here believe could inject new energy into the party’s regional leadership.
Addressing a packed meeting of delegates at Kapelebyong District Headquarters, Echodu declared that the upcoming NRM elections were not a routine affair but a defining moment for the party’s future direction.
“This election is to bring change to the party,” he said. “NRM needs leaders of action, not leaders who come to speak about the history of the NRM but leaders who address issues that change people’s lives and improve the economy. Our people cannot eat history.”
He noted that while history has its place, it cannot be the centerpiece of leadership when communities are struggling with urgent needs.
“If even in Soroti University we don’t teach history, then what is its relevance to the people yet they are suffering?” he asked.
“Our hospitals have no drugs, our schools are not equipped, and many of our people have no means to earn a living. This is what we should be working on, not just reciting past glories.”
Echodu called for empowerment of NRM leaders at the grassroots rather than wasting time on internal rivalries.
He stressed that unity, capacity building, and clear action plans were the only way to strengthen the party’s base and deliver meaningful development.
“This election is not for jokes and playing. The most important thing is to hand me the position, and I am ready to deliver,” he declared.
He also appealed to the people of Teso to join forces with other regions in rejecting leadership that, in his view, has focused too heavily on nostalgia while failing to address the region’s current challenges.
The meeting saw prominent local leaders pledging their support for Echodu’s bid.
Ipalat Patrick, the NRM Chairperson for Kapelebyong District, welcomed Echodu’s message and assured him of the district’s backing.
“As Kapelebyong, we are going to mobilize all our delegates to vote for Mr. Echodu,” Ipalat said. “We need a leader who understands the challenges of today and is willing to take action to solve them.”
Ipalat’s remarks were met with loud applause from delegates, signaling strong grassroots momentum for Echodu in Kapelebyong.
Adding her voice to the endorsements, Ajego Jacqueline, the NRM LCV flag bearer for Kapelebyong, praised Echodu for the support he rendered to the people of Teso during the region’s insurgencies.
She urged him, if elected, to prioritize women’s empowerment within the NRM structures.
“We need deliberate efforts to empower women within our party structures,” Ajego said. “Women are the backbone of community mobilization, and if they are strengthened, the party will be stronger at every level.”
Ajego also highlighted the district’s pressing issues, including insecurity, cadre identification, and cadre recruitment, stressing that addressing these challenges would spur development in Kapelebyong.
On wealth creation, she called on Echodu to consider establishing a technical school in the district to equip young people with employable skills.
“If we have a technical school here, our youth will be able to acquire skills that can help them create jobs and improve their livelihoods,” she said.
Echodu welcomed these suggestions, reiterating that his leadership approach would focus on practical, results-driven initiatives.
He emphasized that technical skills training, agricultural support, and improved social services would be key pillars of his agenda if elected.
Political observers note that Echodu’s campaign is positioning him as a candidate of tangible solutions and generational change, contrasting sharply with Mukula’s emphasis on the party’s history and legacy.
While Mukula remains an influential figure in the NRM, Echodu’s growing support base in districts like Kapelebyong could pose a significant challenge to his reelection.
The contest for the NRM Vice Chairperson slot in Eastern Uganda is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched internal races, with both candidates touring extensively and rallying delegates ahead of the polls.
For Echodu, the enthusiastic reception in Kapelebyong may be a sign that his message is resonating with a grassroots electorate eager for a shift in priorities.
As the sun set over Kapelebyong, his supporters dispersed with renewed energy, vowing to carry his message of action over rhetoric to every corner of the district.
Whether this momentum will carry him past the finish line remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: in Eastern Uganda’s NRM politics, the winds of change are beginning to stir.
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