Authorities in Lira City East Division have arrested a local official from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) over suspected involvement in electoral malpractice during the party’s ongoing primary elections.
Dray Okello, the NRM parish supervisor for Acwao Ward, was taken into custody on Thursday morning after security personnel allegedly found him in possession of 95 campaign posters and 71 appointment letters linked to a candidate contesting the city mayoral seat.
Speaking to the media, Lira Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Lawrence Egole described the arrest as a significant violation of electoral procedures and issued a stern warning to other political actors.
“This arrest is a wake-up call. We will not tolerate any malpractice that undermines the integrity of the electoral process,” Mr Egole said.
The incident has further heightened political tensions in the area and sparked renewed concern among civil society groups and local leaders, many of whom have been critical of irregularities reported in the NRM primaries across Uganda.
While the NRM electoral commission in Lira has not yet commented on the arrest, observers are calling for urgent action from the party leadership to ensure fairness and rebuild trust ahead of the 2026 general elections.
As the primaries proceed, Dray Okello’s arrest adds to a growing list of incidents that raise questions about the party’s internal accountability systems and its readiness to manage a transparent nomination process nationwide.
