By Stanley Ebele
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s joint campaigns in North Karamoja have suffered a huge blow as candidates choose to conduct solo campaigns, in direct violation of the party’s Electoral Commission guidelines.
Earlier this month, Dr. Tanga Odoi, the Chairman of the NRM Party’s Electoral Commission, announced that all candidates must conduct joint campaigns in a bid to neutralise friction, curb misinformation, and ensure fairness by limiting campaign hours.
However, in North Karamoja, the reality on the ground is different from what was expected as several districts are struggling to implement joint campaigns amid escalating tension among the candidates.
In Abim District, the joint campaigns that began peacefully on July 3, 2025 in Alerek and Magamaga Sub Counties are now on the verge of collapse as five candidates have threatened to pull out, accusing the incumbent Member of Parliament for Labwor County, Jumbricky Norman Ochero, of breaching the agreed joint campaign program.
In a letter dated July 6, 2025, addressed to the NRM party Electoral Commission, Nicholas Ogolla, Michael Ayepa, Patrick Ojwok and Richard Okello Burton Okas, accused Ochero of conducting separate campaigns.
In Kaabong, Joseph Komol Midi, a candidate for Dodoth North County Member of Parliament, said that the joint campaigns have flopped due to entrenched rivalry among the candidates.
According to them, this contravenes the harmonized campaign program that was agreed upon by all candidates and the party’s electoral committee during a security harmonization meeting convened by the RDC Stephen Ekoom.
The petitioners are now urging the NRM Electoral Commission to intervene urgently and enforce the agreed-upon rules to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants ahead of the party primaries scheduled for July 17, 2025.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Jumbricky Norman Ochero were unsuccessful as his known telephone number was not available at the time of writing this article.
Despite threats from other candidates to withdraw from the joint campaigns, Richard Obin, the Abim district NRM chairman, stated that the campaigns were proceeding smoothly.
However, in the districts of Kaabong and Kotido, the joint campaigns have failed due to deep-seated divisions among the candidates.
Joseph Komol Midi, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Dodoth North County, blamed camp-based divisions for the failure of joint campaigns, despite an initial agreement at the harmonization meeting.
Similarly, in Kotido District, candidates have resorted to individual campaigns contrary to the campaign guidelines issued by NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi, directing all candidates across the country to hold joint campaigns.
Paul Lote Komol, the Kotido District LCV Chairperson who is seeking reelection, cited differing ideologies as the reason why they abandoned joint campaigns.
Moses Adome Bildard, an aspirant for Kotido Municipality pointed out that joint campaigns are impossible due to “striking differences,” without elaborating on the nature of these differences.
Emmanuel Lochoto, the Kotido NRM Assistant Registrar, also acknowledged the absence of joint campaigns but noted that the situation is largely peaceful.
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