The National Resistance Movement (NRM) chairperson for Gweri County and Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) Teso Secretary, Richard Elimu, has strongly denied rumors suggesting he is stepping down from the 2026 parliamentary race in Gweri County.
Elimu, who contested in the 2021 elections under the NRM ticket against current Gweri County MP Tom Julius Ekudo of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), finished third in that race.
He garnered 3,027 votes, while Ekudo secured victory with 7,456 votes. Independent candidate Eitunganane Esiangu Kenneth came in second with 6,462 votes, another independent candidate, Oiko John Robert, who received 89 votes.
Recently, speculation has been rife that Elimu, who remains a favorite among NRM supporters in Gweri, was considering bowing out in favor of other candidates.
Names mentioned in the speculation include former Soroti City East MP Herbert Edmund Ariko, who has reportedly shifted his political ambitions to Gweri, as well as Eitunganane Esiangu Kenneth, who was the runner-up in the previous election.
Several other contenders have also expressed interest in unseating MP Ekudo in 2026.
However, during an interview at Gweri Sub-county Headquarters, Elimu rubbished the claims, categorically stating that he remains firmly in the race.
“Whoever is spreading that information is an enemy of progress. First of all, I will never be bought. You cannot buy me. I have integrity, I have a family to defend, I have a country to defend. It’s not about me; it’s about the people of Gweri,” Elimu declared. ”
Elimu dismissed any possibility of negotiation to step down, emphasizing his commitment to the electoral contest.
“I can never be bought by anything, and I will never be compromised. Just know that in 2026, come rain or sunshine, I will be on the ballot. That is it. Whoever is telling you that I’m negotiating, negotiating what? What is there to negotiate anyway? I am a flag bearer, I am the NRM chairperson, and I now handle PLU in the Teso region. What negotiation can I accept now? Really? I would be insane to accept such a negotiation.”
Elimu further elaborated on the challenges facing Gweri County, attributing its struggles to a lack of guidance for the people.
He stressed the need for leadership that fosters economic growth and entrepreneurship within the community.
“Gweri has suffered for a very long time, and one of the biggest issues is the lack of proper guidance. People have a lot of innovations in Gweri. People have small businesses, but there is nobody to guide them. Business thrives on guidance. I am a businessman myself, and I know people need to be taught how to do business, how to save, how to invest.”
He emphasized the importance of mindset change over financial handouts as a key strategy for community development.
“It’s not just about giving people money. Even if you brought 100 billion and poured it into Gweri right now, it would not grow. We need mindset change first. That’s the first thing we need to do before anything else.”
About Author
