By Stanley Ebele
The Kotido Municipality Member of Parliament, Ismael Muhammed Lomwar has been declared the chairperson of NRM mainstream in Lodipidip Cell in Central Division amidst bribery allegations from the members of the party.
Lomwar who contested for the position of Vice Chairperson NRM Mainstream in Lodipidip cell was beaten by a boda-boda man, Paul Malo Nangiro who polled 16 votes against Muhammad’s 09 votes.
However, the MP, after analyzing the situation convinced Lucia Aperu who had been nominated unopposed as the NRM Mainstream Chairperson to step down in his favor.
Aperu says she had no option but to allow the MP have an opportunity that would help him participate in other elections of the party.
Some of the voters who witnessed the situation unfold at the polling station castigated the MP for denying Aperu an opportunity of leadership in the party.
Dan Lokiru Didan, the NRM Village Registrar said he was coerced to enter Lomwar’s name to the position of the Chairperson NRM Mainstream, after dropping Lucia Aperu, who had officially been registered unopposed candidate in the position.
Didan says he has included the anomalies in his report to the District NRM Registrar, Paul Namuya for further guidance on the matter.
When contacted for the comment, the MP said he was elected within the confines of the party’s constitution.
The NRM constitution limits voting rights of the party delegates to only members elected in the villages.
The party’s mainstream team at the village level joins other villages to constitute an electoral college at the parish/ward levels that votes at the sub county/division level.
This continues to other higher levels to constitute the Central Executive Committee of the party.
The NRM party will be voting the next leaders of the parish/ward structures on May 12 before proceeding to the sub- county/Division on May 16, Municipality on May 19 and the district on May 22, 2025.
