By Stanley Ebele
Calm has returned to Karenga District after days of violent protests between rival supporters over delayed declaration of results for the concluded National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries for parliamentary flag bearers.
On Saturday, July 19, 2025, chaos broke out when a group of supporters stormed the Women’s Community Hall located at the district headquarters, where vote tallying was done, demanding answers from the district party officials as to why they had delayed to declare the results.
Frustrations came to a head when rumors swirled regarding potential discrepancies in the results, triggering protests and demonstrations from various factions demanding transparency and fairness.
The angry supporters accused the Karenga NRM Registrar Lux Patrick Llochiyo for canceling results from the sub-counties of Kakwanga and Lobalangit over alleged irregularities.
They overran the security deployed at the tally center and took Karenga District Police Commander, ASP Simon Bataire hostage for hours.
Lux Patrick Llochiyo, the District Registrar and a senior NRM Commissioner, were also put under duress to declare the result, which they declined.
This sparked more violent protests with protesters blocking the roads leading in and out of the district with logs.
The fragile security situation caused fear among civil servants who had to flee the district over the weekend for safety.
However, Geoffrey Filbert Ocailap, the Resident District Commissioner of Karenga, confirmed last evening that normalcy had returned after heavy security deployment.
He commended the security forces to restoring peace and stability in the district calling on the locals and the leaders to mend the social fabric that was temporarily torn by political discord.
According to Ocailap, the tone set during this recovery period will undoubtedly influence the political climate leading up to the national elections.
“As history often teaches, the efforts made today can lay the groundwork for a more harmonious future, one where political engagement is fostered through mutual respect and understanding”, said Ocailap.
Attempts by our reporter to get comments from the Karenga District Chief Administrative Officer and the Communication Officer, Judith Nafula, on whether the civil servants who had fled the district had returned to work were futile by press time as their known telephone numbers were not available.
On Sunday July 20, 2025, the district security committee chaired by the RDC, resolved to defer the declaration of the results to the party’s Electoral Commission Chairman, Dr. Tanga Odoi, and people are still anxiously waiting for the outcome.
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