Ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission (EC) chairman Dr Tanga Odoi smiled at the cameras as he declared Speaker Anita Among unopposed in the Bukedea District Woman MP race. But as The Pearl Times has now learnt, beneath the smiles today is a system Speaker Anita Among’s opponent considers rotten. The speaker’s challenger also thinks her woes are symptomatic of deeper rot within President Yoweri Museveni’s NRM party.
Hellen Odeke Akol, a determined political figure in Bukedea District, has once again found herself embroiled in a fierce legal and political battle as she seeks to participate in the 2025 elections. Akol is vying for the position of Woman Member of Parliament for Bukedea District, contesting against the incumbent Rt. Hon. Annet Anita Among. For the second time in five years, Akol believes she is facing a coordinated effort to block her candidacy through fraudulent means, legal manipulation, and an orchestrated abuse of power.
The Beginning of the Latest Struggle
The saga began during the National Electoral Commission’s voter registration update exercise. To Akol’s shock, she discovered at the Bukedea District Electoral Commission Office that her name had mysteriously been removed from the official voter register. This was no clerical error. When she contacted the Electoral Commission headquarters in Kampala, she was told her details were intact. The discrepancy raised deep concerns, prompting her to check the NRM party register, where she discovered that her details were also missing — a significant blow for someone intending to participate in the NRM primaries.
In response, Akol, known for her advocacy for transparency and fairness, wrote a petition to the Party Chairperson, H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, urging him to intervene. She also submitted a complaint to the Party Secretary-General, the custodian of the membership register. An internal investigation confirmed her worst fears: her name had been illegally removed from the party register. This was no innocent mistake but appeared to be a deliberate attempt to bar her from contesting.
The Secretary-General acted swiftly, instructing corrections to the record and issuing Akol a certified copy of her registration. Believing the matter resolved, Akol paid the required fees for nomination and expected her candidacy to proceed unimpeded. However, in an unexpected twist, the Party Electoral Commission Chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi, refused to issue her the nomination forms. In a tone Akol described as dismissive and impudent, he told her, “You’ve wasted your money!”
Continued Frustration and a Forensic Revelation
Shocked and frustrated, Akol once again reached out to the Party Secretary-General, who assured her that the matter would be addressed. On June 10th, the Secretary-General updated her on the findings of a forensic investigation. The report revealed that someone had scribbled over her name in ink in the original party register to obscure it. Fortunately, forensic experts confirmed that her name was still legible beneath the ink. Armed with this evidence, the Secretary-General wrote to Dr. Tanga instructing him to provide Akol with her nomination forms.
Akol believed the worst was behind her, but her troubles persisted. Despite the Secretary-General’s directive, she was not issued the forms, and her path to nomination remained obstructed.
Legal Tactics: A Familiar Script
Soon after attempting to proceed with her campaign preparations, Akol was served with court summons on Friday, June 13th. The hearing was set for Monday, June 16th, giving her almost no time to prepare or brief her lawyers. The application was filed by Akol Zipola, a supposed NRM member and sister to Akol’s opponent, Rt. Hon. Annet Anita Among.
Zipola’s claims included allegations that Akol fraudulently registered in Ocekereni village—a place where she neither resides nor originates—and that Akol was not a legitimate NRM member but instead affiliated with the opposition FDC. These allegations are widely considered to be politically motivated, especially in light of Zipola’s familial connection to the incumbent Speaker of Parliament.
The situation mirrors what happened during the 2020 elections, when Akol was blocked from contesting due to a similar legal stunt involving a name change dispute. Although the courts eventually ruled in her favor, the case had already derailed her campaign, allowing Anita Among to run unopposed.
A System Under Siege
Now, in 2025, Akol faces the same obstructive tactics. She categorically denies the claims, stating, “I am not and have never registered at Ocekereni village.” Determined not to let history repeat itself, she vows to continue the fight—not only for herself but for the people of Bukedea, whom she believes are being denied the democratic right to choose their leader.
The court hearing has been scheduled for July 17th, deliberately after the nomination deadline of June 30th. This timing, Akol contends, is designed to prevent her from participating in the election. Meanwhile, Dr. Tanga Odoi has already declared Rt. Hon. Anita Among unopposed for the seat—further fueling concerns that the system is being manipulated to suppress genuine competition.
From the mysterious removal of her name from the voter and party registers to the refusal to issue nomination forms and the court case built on questionable grounds, Akol believes there is a systematic abuse of power aimed at silencing her voice and subverting democracy in Bukedea.
A Call to Action
Akol poses powerful questions: “What is democracy for the people of Bukedea? How can the interests of one individual drown those of an entire district? How can one manipulate the administrative, judicial, and intelligence sections of government and get away with it?”
These are not just rhetorical questions; they speak to the heart of democratic integrity. If legal and political systems can be used to eliminate competition, then democracy is not just at risk—it is under siege.
Akol says she remains committed to her cause, but she calls on the people of Bukedea and the nation at large to stand with her in demanding justice and fair play.
She places her hope in the leadership of President Museveni, believing he will not allow the NRM party and the country to be led down a path of undemocratic practices by a small, self-serving clique.
Democracy Under Siege
Hellen Odeke Akol says she is more than just a candidate. She believes she is a symbol of resistance against political manipulation and a beacon for transparent governance. As she navigates this legal and political maze, she says she has no option but to remain steadfast in her belief in free and fair elections.
The people of Bukedea deserve the right to choose their representative without coercion or interference, she adds. If Akol succeeds in her struggle, she continues, it will not just be a personal victory—it will be a win for democracy in Uganda.
But time is short, and the ultimate question remains: Will justice prevail, or will the will of the people be crushed by the weight of corruption and manipulation?
You can read our earlier reporting on the troubles of Speaker Anita Among’s opponent Here and There.
