The ruling National Resistance Movement Party(NRM) seems to have started on a good note in the Soroti City East by-elections after five aspirants stepped aside in favor of their candidate.
Out of seven aspirants who showed interest in the polls, only two candidates will now compete for the Member of Parliament seat., Moses Attan Okia for Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Herbert Edmund Ariko for NRM.
Among those who had picked nominations between Monday and Tuesday included Pascal Amuriat for Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), Joseph Ogita (Independent), Stephen Omoding (Independent), Herbert Omoding Olaboro (Independent), and Isaac Okore for the Democratic Party.
Ariko was met with the good news while picking his nomination today alongside the five who stepped down in his favor. NRM Vice Chairperson, Capt. Mike Mukula welcomed the five aspirants at his residence in Soroti City before they headed to the electoral commission offices to formally declare their support for Ariko.
The Electoral Commission resumed nominating contestants for the Soroti East directly elected Member of Parliament on Monday.
While getting nominated yesterday, the FDC contestant Attan said he will again emerge victorious despite the court nullifying the previous elections.
In May 2022, the court of appeal nullified the election of FDCs Moses Attan on grounds that the Electoral Commission failed to conduct free and fair elections after it irregularly transferred Opiyai and Aloet wards from Soroti East to Soroti West after the nomination of the candidates.
