By Our Reporter

Soroti City — Hon. Jonathan Ebwalu, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Soroti City West Division and candidate in the recent parliamentary elections, has issued a statement disputing the outcome of his defeat to David Calvin Echodu of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), alleging undue influence by the military and “deep state” actors.

According to official results, David Calvin Echodu (NRM) won the Soroti City West seat with 7,931 votes, while Jonathan Ebwalu secured 6,031 votes, a margin that saw the long-serving incumbent lose to the ruling party challenger. In his statement responding to the outcome, Ebwalu asserted that the contest was not a typical battle between political parties, but a confrontation “between Ebwalu and the military and deep state.

” He claimed that heavy military deployment, widespread bribery, arrests of his polling agents, and multiple voting incidents facilitated by presiding officers and military personnel undermined the fairness of the polls. Ebwalu further alleged that as defeat became imminent, military personnel allegedly confiscated the phones of his agents and held them at gunpoint, ordering students and soldiers to cast up to 2,500 extra votes beyond the number of registered voters at the Presidential Skilling Hub in Arapai.

He said his agents were held until late at night and were pressured to sign declaration forms as a condition of their release. His legal team, led by Counsel Richard Omongole, is said to have compiled what Ebwalu described as “sufficient evidence” to mount a legal challenge against the results.

However, the incumbent stated that his camp has resolved not to pursue the matter in court, choosing instead to “leave the situation to God and the public court.” Despite the loss, Ebwalu reaffirmed his commitment to continue serving the people of Soroti City West, whether or not he holds a parliamentary seat. “The people of Soroti West know me; my service will continue like before,” he said in the statement. Electoral officials and security agencies had not responded to the specific allegations by the time of publication.