• Today: Sunday 21 Dec 2025

Opposition Gains Ground in NRM-Dominated Karamoja

13 October, 2025
191

Opposition political parties are steadily making inroads into the Karamoja sub-region, long regarded as a firm stronghold of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).



Traditionally considered a no-go zone for opposition politics, Karamoja is now witnessing a wave of political awakening ahead of the 2026 general elections.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have both established regional offices in Moroto Municipality, an unprecedented move that signals a potential shift in the region’s political landscape.

Hellen Kiyai, the FDC candidate for Woman MP for Moroto District, said the opposition had come to “fill the gaps left by the NRM,” especially in tackling corruption and addressing economic inequality. She criticized the ruling party’s long tenure in Karamoja, saying the region remains among the most impoverished despite decades of NRM leadership.

Zainab Angella, who previously contested for Moroto District Woman MP under NUP, has bounced back, this time running for the Moroto Municipality seat on the FDC ticket. She described herself as “the voice of change” that the people of Moroto deserve, pledging to prioritise better infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic empowerment.

During a recent FDC mobilisation drive in Karamoja, the party’s presidential candidate, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, called on residents to rise and reclaim their destiny by voting for change. He encouraged supporters to resist intimidation and ensure their votes count in what he termed “a decisive election for the region’s future.”

Comment