Following a stunning defeat in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries, the State Minister of Works Hon. Musa Francis Ecweru has come out publicly to reject the results of the elections, describing the entire process in Amuria as “fictional” and riddled with irregularities.
The long-serving minister, who lost to political rival Samuel Ediau, told journalists on Friday that the primaries were marred by serious violations of party guidelines and electoral rules, particularly the misuse of the NRM Yellow Book, the official party voters’ register.
“The election in Amuria was more or less a fiction,” Ecweru declared. “You will find many polling stations where the votes that were counted are more than the number of people in the Yellow Book, which the Chairman of the Electoral Commission had guided should be strictly adhered to. Nobody, including the Secretary General of the party, was supposed to vote outside the Yellow Book.”
According to the official results, Ediau, a former Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) member who joined the NRM less than two years ago, secured 29,352 votes, while Ecweru polled 19,977, ending his two-decade dominance in Amuria politics.
Ediau’s win has been widely celebrated across the district by supporters eager for change.
However, Ecweru alleges that the victory was obtained through dubious means.
He claims that in several polling centers, children and unregistered individuals were allowed to vote, significantly inflating the numbers in favor of his opponent.
“There were many centers where young children, even school children, were brought and rushed into the lines to vote,” he said.
“This was even captured in some videos. That’s not just a breach of guidelines, it’s a serious undermining of democracy within our party.”
Despite his grievances, the minister was quick to clarify that Amuria remained peaceful throughout the process, unlike other districts where incidents of violence and chaos were reported.
He attributed the calm atmosphere to the maturity of his supporters and the commitment of local leaders to avoid provocation.
“The beauty about Amuria, like it has always been, we have never allowed anything that would compromise the security of our people,” Ecweru said.
“So we refused anything that was provocative. That’s why in Amuria, nobody was beaten like you have witnessed in some districts.”
The veteran politician expressed disappointment but insisted that his commitment to the NRM and its national leadership remains unwavering.
He urged his supporters to remain firm, law-abiding, and to continue mobilizing for the party and for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
“I’ve told my people to remain on the ground and continue mobilizing for the party and for the President,” Ecweru noted. “We are still NRM. Very little has changed in that regard.”
As for his next move, Ecweru remained guarded but made it clear that “all options are on the table.”
He said he would be consulting with his team, elders, and legal advisors before announcing his final decision regarding whether to petition the NRM Electoral Commission, go independent, or retire from elective politics.
“I am going to consult my leaders for the next course of action. But all the cards are on the table,” he said.
“This is not just about me, it’s about the integrity of the NRM’s internal democratic processes.”
Ecweru’s rejection of the primary outcome comes amid increasing scrutiny of the NRM’s internal electoral processes across Teso and other sub-regions, where multiple candidates have raised concerns over transparency, voter fraud, and the misuse of the Yellow Book.
Political analysts say Ecweru’s remarks could stir debate within the party about the credibility of its internal elections and possibly open the door for petitions and realignments before the 2026 general elections.
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