The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has moved to curtail the influence of its long-serving Electoral Commission Chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi, following a storm of controversy over his handling of recent internal elections.
This was resolved on Saturday 13th September, 2025, during the first sitting of the 5th Central Executive Committee (CEC) chaired by President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe.
The party ordered Dr. Odoi to step aside from overseeing the rescheduled Youth and Entrepreneur League elections. His deputy, Jachan Omach, together with other commissioners, will now take over the exercise.
The CEC resolution comes in the wake of growing criticism that Dr. Odoi’s actions compromised the credibility of NRM’s internal democratic processes. Most damaging was the annulled election of his son, Collins Odoi, as National Youth Chairperson, after the Tribunal found glaring irregularities.
Adding fuel to the fire, a viral video showed Dr. Odoi counting voters in a manner that raised eyebrows, jumping figures from “50 to 80 to 141, then 150, 160, 170, 180, 181”, a bizarre episode mockingly dubbed “Odoimatics” by party insiders.
These incidents, coupled with open criticism from senior cadres such as Minister Rebecca Kadaga, Sarah Opendi, and Sanjay Tanna, painted a picture of an election boss increasingly seen as partisan and incompetent.
The sidelining of Dr. Odoi fits into President Museveni’s longstanding pattern of deflating individuals whose perceived ego or excesses threaten the party’s cohesion.
In 1996, while addressing the NRM Caucus in Jinja, President Museveni warned that he does not fight out of emotions but calculated moves adding that those members with too much ego will be deflated like a tyre.
First, the Tribunal barred him from handling the fresh Youth elections. Now, CEC has extended the sanction to include the Entrepreneurs League. This represents one of the most significant public rebukes of Dr. Odoi since he assumed the role of EC chair.
Despite the directive, reports from districts suggest that Odoi is still attempting to exert influence through registrars, with some youth aspirants alleging he is using his authority to favor his son. If true, this would not only undermine CEC’s authority but also cast doubt on the fairness of the rescheduled elections, Odoi has denied the claim and maintained his commitment to honor the decision.
The upcoming elections, slated for September 18, 2025, will serve as a litmus test for NRM’s internal democracy. The polls have already been clouded by turbulence, nullifications, and petitions. For the party, credibility is on the line.
To restore trust, CEC has directed that voter registers be released early, security agencies coordinate with the process, and elections be conducted at the district level.
The body also appointed an ad hoc committee, chaired by Speaker Anita Among, to examine remuneration for lower-level leaders a move aimed at addressing grassroots grievances.
At the heart of CEC’s resolutions lies a broader concern: ensuring that the NRM remains focused on patriotism and socio-economic transformation rather than factionalism or personality-driven politics.
This marks the most dramatic trimming of Dr Tanga’s powers in recent memory, move viewed as a reminder that in Museveni’s NRM, no official is bigger than the party.
