The Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth Oboth, has dismissed as false and misleading the social media reports claiming he has withdrawn from the race for NRM Vice Chairperson (Eastern) in favour of the incumbent, Capt. Mike Mukula.
Speaking to the media on Sunday morning, Oboth Oboth expressed dismay at what he described as a deliberate campaign of dishonesty designed to undermine his credibility and discourage internal party competition.
“I have never spoken to Mike Mukula about this race. I have not met or discussed with any of the people making these claims. This false narrative that I stepped down to help Ofwono Opondo secure a slot as MP for elders is not only untrue, but also counterproductive,” Oboth said.
He accused Mukula’s camp of engaging in what he called “political tribalism” and attempting to manipulate party structures for personal gain.
“If the issue is that we come from different regions, let me remind them that Bukedi, my region, has not had anyone in the NRM secretariat for years. The marginalisation we face could be attributed to this lack of high-level representation in the party’s policy organs,” he noted.
Oboth confirmed he has been consulting widely but has not yet picked nomination forms. He said the circulating rumours have only strengthened his resolve to formally join the race.
“This is an insult. Politics built on lies and deception must stop. I am not a greedy politician, I am driven by passion and conviction. I despise lies. If anything, this only convinces me that I must run,” he declared.
The minister further argued that the social media campaign alleging his withdrawal is “a replica of the deceit” that has enabled Mukula to hold onto the seat for so long.
“I hate such politics. People without integrity should not be leading us,” he added.
The race for the NRM Vice Chairperson (Eastern) seat has attracted several contenders, including David Calvin Echodu from Soroti, Dr. Musa Lumumba, Oboth Oboth himself, and the incumbent Capt. Mike Mukula.
In recent days, social media platforms and local radio broadcasts, including Voice of Teso FM, a station linked to Mukula, have shared posts suggesting Oboth had exited the race in support of Mukula. While these posts have been widely circulated, they remain unverified.
On X (formerly Twitter), Oboth publicly condemned the claims, tagging the NRM party and accusing the sources of the allegations of lacking integrity. He maintained that he had not made any such decision or announcement.
Mukula has yet to respond to the minister’s statements or directly address the controversy.
However, his campaign handler, Bernard Eumu, a former FDC politician from Ngora who crossed to NRM, dismissed the incident as one of many “conspiracies” aimed at discrediting Mukula’s candidacy.
The NRM Eastern Vice Chair position is an influential role in the party’s leadership structure, especially as internal competition heats up ahead of the 2026 general elections.
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