Anita Among Won’t Run Alone: NUP Hits Back After Candidate Purge

The political temperature in Bukedea District is rising again after the National Unity Platform (NUP) officially unveiled Florence Asio as its candidate for the Bukedea Woman Member of Parliament seat. This move has reignited a contentious battle for the constituency — a race that had momentarily appeared uncontested by any opposition figures following the controversial removal of multiple candidates from the voters’ register.

The announcement was made on Monday by NUP party president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, who did not mince words in accusing state institutions — particularly the Electoral Commission (EC) and the judiciary — of orchestrating a targeted political purge aimed at clearing the path for Speaker of Parliament Anita Among to be re-elected unchallenged.

“Anita Among, using the Electoral Commission and the courts, recently had the NUP candidate, the FDC candidate, and an independent candidate removed from the Voters’ Register in order to block them from running against her in Bukedea,” Kyagulanyi said in a strongly worded statement.

He further claimed that the three women — Mercy Marion Alupo (NUP), Norma Susan Otai (FDC), and Hellen Akol Odeke (Independent) — were never given a chance to defend themselves or be heard by the relevant authorities before being struck off the register.

“None of those candidates were ever invited for any tribunal hearing until they were informed that the Parish Tribunal had decided to remove them from the register,” he added.

A Defiant Move Against “Impunity”

Describing Asio’s nomination as a bold stand against what he termed “state-engineered impunity,” Kyagulanyi declared that NUP would not bow to intimidation.

“While we filed a court case which is still ongoing, we have this morning unveiled comrade Asio Florence as the National Unity Platform candidate for Bukedea Woman MP,” he said.

He added a sharp contrast between the incumbent and the new challenger, casting the race in stark moral terms.

“We hope that Among will not shamelessly seek to block her as well. The people of Bukedea now have an opportunity to choose between an internationally sanctioned thief of public funds and a young, vibrant leader who will speak for them.”

Party insiders have described Florence Asio as a dynamic grassroots mobilizer hailing from Kolir Sub-county. Her candidacy is expected to inject new energy into NUP’s support base in the district and possibly reshape the political narrative that has so far been dominated by controversy and allegations of manipulation.

Hope Restored in Bukedea

The unveiling of Asio has been met with cautious optimism and a sense of relief among residents of Bukedea, many of whom felt disenfranchised by the earlier disqualification of opposition candidates.

“We were worried that Bukedea would have no election at all,” said Mary Achen, a vendor in Kachumbala trading center.
“Now at least we have someone to vote for. Let the people decide, not the courts or the Commission.”

Others were more openly critical of the Electoral Commission, accusing it of complicity in suppressing democratic competition.

“They tried to remove everyone so that Among runs alone. That is not democracy. We are happy NUP has given us another candidate,” said Peter Ocen, a boda boda rider from Kidongole.

Electoral Commission Stands Its Ground

In its defense, the Electoral Commission insists that its actions were legally sound and in line with due process. According to an affidavit filed before the High Court, Acting EC Secretary Richard Kamugisha Baabo stated that the removals were based on recommendations from local parish tribunals in Kopeta, Kolir, Kotolut, and Kidongole sub-counties.

“The Commission upheld the decisions of the parish tribunals recommending deletion of the respondents based on the evidence adduced by the parties,” Baabo said.

He also asserted that all affected individuals were given a ten-day window to respond to the allegations — a claim that is being contested by both the candidates and their supporters, who say no such notice was received.

Critics argue that the process was opaque and deliberately rushed to prevent the opposition from preparing or responding adequately.

As the matter awaits hearing in the High Court, political analysts are closely watching Bukedea as a potential bellwether for the credibility of Uganda’s electoral institutions.

“What happens in Bukedea will show whether the EC can stand above political pressure,” said a Kampala-based political analyst.

“If the opposition’s new candidate is again blocked, it will confirm fears that the electoral field is being managed to favor incumbents.”

Meanwhile, NUP has already hit the ground running, with its campaign team beginning mobilization efforts across the district to drum up support for Asio.

With legal battles brewing and political tensions rising, Bukedea is once again in the national spotlight — a small district now bearing the weight of a larger struggle over fairness, accountability, and the future of Uganda’s democracy.