By KT Reporter
Bosco Ocira Lawino, a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, has accused senior party officials in Nwoya District of deliberately frustrating his efforts to participate in the recently concluded party structure elections.
Ocira, who defected from the National Unity Platform (NUP) and joined the ruling NRM party in 2021, claims his nomination was delayed for three days due to politically motivated suspicions about his loyalty to the party. On May 23, the NRM held elections for its Workers and Entrepreneurs League at the district and city levels across the country.
Ocira, who had shown interest in contesting for the position of NRM District Chairperson for Nwoya, lost the election to Mary Adokorach, who garnered 320 votes. Ocira did not receive any votes. In an interview with Uganda Radio Network over the weekend, Ocira said that district party officials began frustrating him during the nomination period, claiming he was not a registered party member.
Ocira alleged that the district registrar questioned the validity of his membership and the lack of formal clearance from the party secretariat.
According to Ocira, he was only nominated after three days of back-and-forth when he contacted NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi, who confirmed his registration status.
Ocira also claimed the election was not free and fair, alleging that voters were openly bribed to vote for his opponent.
Additionally, he accused NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong of interfering in the election process by siding with his opponents and intimidating his campaign agents.
Efforts to reach Todwong for a comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to repeated phone calls to his known mobile number. However, Patrick Okwonga, the NRM district registrar for Nwoya, dismissed claims that Todwong meddled in the election, stating that they received no such directive from him.
Okwonga told Uganda Radio Network that the lack of registration details for Ocira at the district level initially hindered his nomination. “One of the requirements for nomination is confirmation of party membership. Once we verified that his name was on the register, we immediately nominated him,” said Okwonga.
He added that the district office is still waiting for a formal complaint from Ocira regarding allegations of voter bribery and intimidation. “If he truly has a complaint, he should lodge it formally at the party office in Nwoya. Apart from what he’s saying in the press, we have not received any complaint from him,” Okwonga added.
The Nwoya party structure elections saw political newcomers defeating some established figures. For example, Nwoya District Woman MP Judith Peace Acan Onen lost the Women League position to Grace Akidi, who polled 29 votes against Acan’s 26.
The NRM began its internal elections earlier this month to strengthen grassroots structures ahead of the 2026 general elections. However, the process has been marred in some areas by internal disputes and complaints over candidate eligibility and election irregularities-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
