In a bid to overturn what he calls a “sham election,” State Minister for Works, Hon. Musa Francis Ecweru, has officially petitioned the NRM Election Disputes Tribunal following his surprise defeat in the recently concluded NRM primaries for Amuria County.
Ecweru, who has represented Amuria County in Parliament for over two decades and held various ministerial positions, lost the party flag to Samuel Ediau, a relatively new figure in national politics and an educationist by profession.
Ediau, the Director of Light SS Schools in Soroti and Amuria, stunned political observers when he polled 29,352 votes against Ecweru’s 19,977 in one of the most talked-about races in the Teso sub-region.
Now, Ecweru has turned to the party’s internal dispute resolution body, citing massive electoral irregularities, including ballot stuffing, inflated registers, and underage voting.
In his petition, the minister alleges that children as young as seven years old were seen voting at some polling stations, in total disregard of the NRM Electoral Commission’s guidelines.
“What happened in Amuria cannot be described as an election,” Ecweru told journalists. “It was a chaotic process that betrayed the principles of our party. Allowing children to vote is not only unacceptable but disgraceful.”
He further pointed to numerous polling stations where the number of votes cast exceeded the number of registered party members listed in the official NRM Yellow Book, a situation he says undermines the credibility of the entire electoral process.
The minister now seeks a nullification of the results and a re-run of the primaries under stricter supervision, arguing that the integrity of the NRM and its internal democratic mechanisms must be protected, especially ahead of the critical 2026 general elections.
Sources within the NRM Election Disputes Tribunal have confirmed receipt of Ecweru’s petition and say the matter is under review.
A decision is expected in the coming days, depending on the evidence provided and counter-submissions from Ediau’s team.
In response to the allegations, Samuel Ediau dismissed Ecweru’s claims as nothing more than “sour grapes.”
He said his victory was the result of genuine support from the people of Amuria, who were ready for a new chapter after years under Ecweru’s leadership.
“The people of Amuria voted with clarity and purpose,” Ediau stated. “They chose progress over politics-as-usual. I respect Hon. Ecweru’s right to challenge the results, but I stand by the mandate the voters gave me.”
The situation in Amuria mirrors growing tensions in other parts of the country, where several senior NRM figures have rejected primary outcomes and filed similar complaints.
As the party navigates these internal divisions, some analysts warn of the potential for independent candidacies, which could weaken the NRM’s grip in several traditional strongholds during the 2026 elections.
Locally, the dispute has stirred a mixture of uncertainty and anxiety among voters, with community leaders urging calm and respect for the party’s legal channels.
“Whatever the outcome, we must maintain peace and unity,” John Odeke, a prominent elder in Amuria. “Let the party structures do their work.”
If the tribunal upholds the results, Ediau will officially carry the NRM flag into the general elections, marking a significant generational shift in Amuria’s leadership.
However, if Ecweru’s petition is successful, the party may be forced to conduct a re-run, further prolonging tensions in the area.
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