Samuel Ediau, a former UPC candidate and long-serving secondary school teacher, yesterday finally dethroned State Minister for works Musa Francis Ecweru in the just-concluded National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries for Amuria County MP flag bearer.
Ediau, widely known in the region as the founder and director of the Light Schools network, which includes Amuria High School, Light Secondary School in Soroti, and several private primary schools, won the July 17 primary election by a landslide, polling 29,252 votes against Minister Ecweru’s 19,977.
The third candidate, whose support was negligible, did not factor significantly in the outcome.
The result sent shockwaves across Teso Sub-region and Uganda’s political circles, with many expressing surprise that a classroom teacher had succeeded in toppling a sitting cabinet minister who once seemed politically untouchable.
Ecweru, also the NRM district chairperson for Amuria and a member of cabinet since 2006, has often been dubbed “the Bull of Amuria” for his dominant political presence.
Speaking to media today, Ediau expressed deep gratitude to the people of Amuria for their overwhelming support and for choosing change through a peaceful democratic process.
“I want to thank the district security committee and the NRM Electoral Commission for ensuring a transparent and peaceful process. This is the first time Amuria has witnessed such a calm primary election,” Ediau said.
Ediau, who had challenged Ecweru in previous elections under the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) banner, revealed that persistent voter feedback compelled him to switch political allegiance.
“People always told me, ‘We vote for you but your party is the problem.’ I realized that sometimes, the ‘order from above’ in politics can hinder progress. So I joined NRM this time, and here I am,” Ediau said
He added that his victory was a testament to the respect accorded to teachers in society, noting that his role in shaping thousands of young lives across the region, many of whom are now professionals, contributed to his credibility and appeal.
“My opponent used to say a teacher can go nowhere, but the community believes in teachers and listens to them. That trust helped me win,” he said.
Ediau also linked his victory to a sense of divine justice, pointing to past controversies that have plagued Minister Ecweru’s legacy, including the widely criticized assault on religious leaders in Amuria.
“I believe curses work, especially when they come from the clergy. Bishop Kosea Odongo of the Church of Uganda once pronounced a 400-year curse on the minister after he allegedly beat up religious leaders. That incident shocked many, and today we’re seeing its consequences,” Ediau said, referencing the spiritual discontent many in the community felt toward Ecweru.
He emphasized that the long years of dominance by a single politician without visible transformation for the people had fueled the desire for new leadership.
“There’s been a gap between the leaders and the people. Socio-economic issues, poverty, cultural conflicts, these remained untouched. The people of Amuria are yearning for transformation. This victory is not mine alone, it belongs to the people,” he added.
While acknowledging that fear and political intimidation have previously influenced elections in Amuria, Ediau urged voters to rise above such tactics and embrace their right to determine leadership through the ballot.
“Politics is not for the faint-hearted. People must exercise their rights freely. Even Jesus suffered on the cross for others. I too am ready to sacrifice for the people of Amuria,” he declared.
He also criticized what he termed as “politicization of education” after Minister Ecweru reportedly blamed the proliferation of government seed schools for hurting Ediau’s private education businesses.
“Government policy mandates every sub-county to have a seed secondary school and every parish a public primary school. That’s not my doing. The private sector remains important. The schools didn’t contest elections, I did. Let’s not drag schools into politics,” he said.
In a final message, Ediau called on fellow politicians across Uganda to focus on issue-based campaigns and to reject transactional leadership, warning that buying support erodes public trust.
“Let’s build leadership based on values, not bribes or lies. True leaders should guide, not trade favors. This win is proof that people want authentic leadership,” he concluded.
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Congratulations to My former headteacher Samuel Ediau