ROAD TO 2026! Tensions Rise in Serere as NRM Leaders Call Out Deputy CDF Over Alleged Partisan Activities
As the country gears up for National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries this year and general elections early next year, a section of leaders in Serere District has lodged a complaint against Deputy Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding, accusing him of engaging in partisan activities that threaten the integrity of the upcoming electoral processes.
The leaders, led by Peter Emaju Paul, an aspiring NRM Member of Parliament for Kasilo County, claim that Lt. Gen. Okiding’s actions compromise the neutrality expected of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and undermine public trust in the institution.
The NRM leaders, in a petition seen by this publication, allege that Lt. Gen. Okiding has openly shown support for a specific candidate, Moses Edonu Moses, in clear contravention of constitutional provisions that prohibit serving military officers from engaging in partisan politics.
They claim that UPDF personnel are being deployed under the pretext of community outreach to construct churches in areas perceived to support Moses, which they say constitutes misuse of public resources and gives an unfair advantage to one candidate.
The leaders also accuse Lt. Gen. Okiding of using his influence to intimidate community members and local leaders, pressuring them to support Moses. They claim that some community members have reported threats and coercion, allegedly under the implied authority of military power.
They have since pointed out Okae, the Chairperson NRM for Bugondo sub-county who allegedly on behalf of the D/CDF call and threaten other party members into supporting Moses is also alleged.
The NRM leaders argue that these actions, if not addressed, risk discrediting the NRM primaries and tarnishing the image of the UPDF as a non-partisan national institution. They emphasize the importance of maintaining the neutrality of the UPDF and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.
Gen.Okiding could not be reached for a comment by press time.
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