By Steven Enatu
SOROTI CITY
Four independent aspirant candidates who had expressed interest to contest in the Soroti City East Parliamentary by-Elections have stepped down, a few hours to their nomination.
In a press conference held at the home of the eastern region NRM vice chairperson, Hon Capt. Mike Mukula, this morning, 19th July 2022, the four agreed to step down and rally support towards the NRM’s party candidate, Herbert Edmund Ariko.
The four include Sarah Inachu, Herbert Olaboro Omoding commonly known as OMO and Stephen Omoding also known as Eupa while the other youthful candidate is Joseph Ogita an independent who once contested in the Soroti county elections.
Of the four, three were NRM leaning candidates who picked interest to contest for the Soroti city east by election. The seat in contention was previously occupied by Moses Okia Attan of the Forum for Democratic Change party (FDC), but his election was nullified by the High Court on grounds that it was illegal for the EC to reconstitute the boundaries of Soroti City East.
Soroti city Electoral commission today 19th July 2022 expected to nominate six candidates but just like the saying goes in politics “Gossip is easy, politics is hard” electoral commission will only nominate three candidates today and they are; Herbert Edmund Ariko NRM at 12:00pm, Pascal Amuria of UPC at 10:00am and DP’s Isaac Okore at 02:00PM. This means that only four candidates shall tussle it out for judgment from the people’s court on the 28th July 2022 polling day.
A total of seven candidates by yesterday the 18th July 2022 had expressed their interests to run for Soroti City East Division by-elections, according to the program that was released by EC.
While addressing the press conference, Capt. Mike Mukula called upon all NRM supporters to rally behind Ariko so that they win the election hands down.
“This election should be very free and fair, and the combination of all these brothers and sisters behind Ariko will give us a landslide victory,” Mukula said.
Stephen Omoding commonly known as Eupa who looked unhappy with the move said that the party top leadership should come and address the grievances down with the grass root cadres.
“We are here to rally support for the candidate, but I want to say NRM as a party must come and talk to its membership, it must recognize and appreciate the efforts of its ground troops, we have lost ground troops here in the city as a party but you only make good speeches in the burials but when we are alive, you are not bothered about, there is a big gap between the leadership and the members,” he said.
He added that if the grievances and empty promises are not addressed, winning elections in Soroti may not be easy for the party.
“I am speaking this In front of the media without fear, we requested to meet the President but middlemen come out saying we are poor and we want money though it’s said that we can’t run away from the family and are supporting Ariko” Omoding Eupa Stephen.
Sarah Inachu who stepped down earlier said they came prepared for the victory of the party.
“I denounce my candidature. NUP and FDC are coming, we are also coming up for them, we are set to restore and get the victory that will take us to the promised land, let’s not be deceived by propaganda from the opposition” Inachu told her colleagues.
Herbert Omoding Olaboro “From today I denounce my position as the candidate for Soroti city east till 2026 and urge my team to rally behind and support Ariko as we won’t have team OMO on ground.
Jimmy Ekemu who was the NRM Flag bearer and handed over the flag to Ariko urged all his supporters to rally behind Ariko for the good of the party and Soroti city east.
Meanwhile the youthful Joseph Ogita who was set for nominations by 2pm today said he stepped down when he was approached.
“I have accepted to step down and rally votes and support for Ariko so that we win and I have also accepted to cross to the NRM party,” Ogita in his own words said.
