The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Elections Tribunal has nullified the election of Dr. Tanga Odoi’s son as Chairperson of the NRM Youth League, in a ruling delivered on Monday, 8th September8, 2025.
The decision has reignited tensions within the party, exposing deep divisions among top politicians in Bukedi sub-region and raising fears over the NRM’s electoral strength in 2026.
The ruling also indirectly vindicated Tororo Woman MP Sarah Opendi, who has long accused Dr. Odoi, chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, of bias in handling party primaries in Tororo District.
While picking her nomination forms on 27th June, Opendi urged President Yoweri Museveni, the party’s National Chairman, to appoint another official to supervise elections in the district. She claimed Odoi harbored personal vendettas and pointed to her repeated failure to be declared flag bearer since 2011, despite winning primaries.
Her grievances mirror those of other Tororo leaders, including Sanjay Tanna, who alleged in 2015 that Odoi openly vowed to block his political advancement within the NRM.
In nullifying Odoi’s son’s victory, the tribunal emphasized the principle of fairness, stating: “The integrity of our party processes is paramount. We cannot allow any election to be clouded by unfair practices or conflict of interest.”
The decision has amplified longstanding criticism of Dr. Odoi’s leadership. Senior figures such as former Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, former CEC member Lydia Wanyoto, and NRM leaders in Mitooma District have all accused him of mismanaging internal elections.
Recently, Anderson Burora, NRM flag bearer for Nakawa West, blasted Odoi on social media, claiming nearly 15,000 delegates were disenfranchised at the Kololo delegates’ conference in what he called a “sham election.”
Some party elders argue the tribunal’s ruling should set a precedent barring NRM EC officials from supervising elections where they have personal ties or conflicts of interest. “Where an NRM EC official has or is seen to have a conflict of interest, such an official should not be allowed to conduct or participate in such an election,” a senior party legal mind told this publication.
If enforced, this principle would strengthen Opendi’s demand to bar Odoi from overseeing polls in Tororo, his home district.
Meanwhile, Brenda Kinconco, the National Youth Council Secretary for Female Affairs, welcomed the tribunal’s order for a fresh Youth League election, saying it restores faith among young people who felt excluded.
The tribunal’s ruling has intensified the broader debate over the credibility of NRM primaries. Many argue that flawed processes have forced popular candidates to contest as independents, weakening the party’s cohesion and threatening its dominance. Dr Odoi is yet to respond publicly to the allegation.
For critics, the decision is more than a rebuke of Odoi’s leadership—it is a test of whether the NRM can reform its internal systems to deliver transparent primaries, heal divisions, and avoid losing ground in Bukedi and beyond ahead of 2026.
