By Alexander Mackey Okori
The voters of Kotido Municipality have bestowed trust in the incumbent mayor Peter Abrahams Irar, to steer the municipality’s top political seat for another five years.
Irar, who contested under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party ticket retained her seat as mayor, following a commanding win in municipal elections held on Thursday, January 27, 2026.
Irar, was declared the winner in the wee hours of this morning at 1:00 am by Kotido district electoral area Returning Officer Julius Ongom Ogwang amidst cheers from his supporters
He polled 6,680 votes, out of 11,052 total valid votes cast for three contenders.
Tadeo Muria Lodioki, the former commercial officer Kotido municipal council who ran as an independent emerged runner-up, with 4,075 votes while the outgoing LCIII chairperson of west division Alex Paulsen Lochiam (Ind) trailed with 297 votes.
The victor, Irar, praised God and the voters for giving him another term to serve and pledged that his five-year term will be anchored on better service delivery, through improvement of roads, health centres, and education.
He said that he would mount pressure on government to expedite the implementation of Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) program in Kotido Municipality to improve on road infrastructure and street lighting in town.
On health, Irar observed that he will use his office to lobby for the elevation of Panyangara health center III to health centre IV status so as to enhance healthcare services.
However, Tadeo Muria Lodikoi, has disputed the election outcome, saying that the electoral process was marked with a series of irregularities such as voter bribery.
He alleged that an unnamed opponent disbursed money tolocal council one chairpersons to distribute to voters on voting day, an act he characterized as voter bribery.
Muria stated that his agents obtained photographic evidence of local council one chairpersons and other National Resistance Movement leaders distributing money to voters during the election.
In contrast to the presidential and parliamentary elections, election officials across the country were using biometric voter verification machines (BVVKs).
However, Muria, claimed that in some polling stations voters were allowed to cast their ballot without being verified through the use of BVVK or manual voters register.
“The BVVK machines are provided for by law. We must therefore ask ourselves whether an election that does not comply with the law can truly be considered credible,” he said.
Although he acknowledged not winning the election, Muria insisted that the process was flawed in several polling stations, where results did not accurately reflect the will of the voters.
Despite the concerns raised by Muria, the Kotido District Police Commander (DPC) SP Jimmy Tumwine said the have been generally peaceful, with only minor incidents arising from misunderstandings.
Tumwine explained that the peaceful conduct of elections is the result of security development before and during voting and public cooperation with the security.
He cautioned the victors against celebrating in a way that might antagonize the losers, assuring the public of police commitment to keep law and order during and after elections.
