By Our Reporter

Kampala – David Calvin Echodu, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer for the Soroti City West parliamentary seat, has declared his intention to unseat Capt. Mike Mukula as the NRM Vice Chairperson for the Eastern Region in the upcoming party elections. Echodu made the announcement during a function at Skyz Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday.

“I am offering myself to stand for the position of Vice Chairperson for the Eastern Region of NRM,” Echodu said, addressing party supporters and officials. “We ask all party supporters to stand with us to ensure that we have good representation in the Central Executive Committee (CEC). I believe I have something to contribute to guide the party to deliver on the promises made to the people of Uganda.”

Echodu emphasized that it is time for a change in the party's leadership, pointing out that when the party stops serving the people it represents, it loses its vision and mandate. “The party must exist to serve the people, but if it ceases to do so, it loses its purpose. As we approach the next elections, we need new energy and hope for the region,” he added.

Echodu’s announcement comes after his previous attempt in the 2021 parliamentary elections for Soroti City West, where he lost to Jonathan Ebwalu of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Despite the setback, Echodu remains a prominent figure in Teso, and his new bid has drawn significant attention from party leaders and opinion makers in the region.

Nelson Ocheger, Uganda’s former High Commissioner to Nigeria and a respected opinion leader in Teso, endorsed Echodu’s candidacy. Ocheger stressed the need for leadership that is focused on the well-being of the party and its supporters, rather than personal gain. “Despite delivering victories for NRM and the party chairman in 2011, 2016, and 2021, there are emerging threats within our party. Internal competition, personal gains, intolerance, corruption, and voter apathy are all threatening the strength of our party. We are here to begin correcting this state of affairs, and we want someone who is not driven by personal gain,” Ocheger explained.

The NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) is a key organ of the party, consisting of the national chairperson, first and second national vice-chairpersons, and six regional vice-chairpersons representing the East, Central, North, West, Kampala, and Karamoja regions. The CEC also includes the party's Secretary General, National Treasurer, Deputy Secretary General, Deputy National Treasurer, the Chairperson of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, and various other committee and commission leaders.

Echodu’s bid for the Vice Chairperson position is seen as part of a larger effort to address what many in the party see as a disconnect between the leadership and the grassroots supporters in the Eastern Region. His call for new leadership and a fresh approach is likely to resonate with many within the party who are eager for change.

As the NRM prepares for its internal elections, the race for the Vice Chairperson for the Eastern Region is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests. The outcome will not only affect the future direction of the party in the region but may also have wider implications for the NRM’s strategy going into the next general elections.

For now, the battle for the NRM’s leadership in Eastern Uganda is heating up, with David Calvin Echodu positioning himself as a candidate for change and a voice for the people.