By Abubakar Bin Siraji
It’s not business as usual for the NRM Electoral Commission boss Tanga Odoi as some party honchos are have heightened their determination to have him knifed from his current source of bread soonest.
Already, an ugly petition championed by one of the party supporters Jamil Kazibwe and backed by influential NRM insiders, has sent shockwaves through the party, demanding Dr. Odoi’s immediate replacement.
The plotters are confident that Tanga is allegedly incompetent and therefore cannot steer the party’s electoral body properly.
Addressed to NRM National Chairman, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and other top leaders, including Secretary General Richard Todwong, the petition accuses Dr. Odoi of running messy electoral processes for the ruling party leading to numerous losses
The petitioners cite recent by-election losses as glaring evidence of his alleged inability to provide strategic leadership, sparking fears that the party may face further setbacks in the upcoming general elections.
Kazibwe’s group highlights a series of failures under Dr. Odoi’s leadership, which they argue have eroded confidence in the party’s electoral machinery.
Key NRM stakeholders have reportedly joined the calls for his removal, citing a “lack of direction and innovation” as factors behind the party’s recent underperformance.
Many bigwigs within the NRM Party including some CEC members are asking for a forensic audit of all monies released to the NRM’s Electoral Commission.
A CEC member was even heard grumbling over Tanga’s sudden changed financial muscle which makes him a direct opposite of what he was a few years ago when he joined that office.
“The NRM is losing ground due to disorganized election management. If this is not fixed, we risk major losses in 2026,” a senior party insider revealed.
The petition has amplified growing frustrations among party loyalists, many of whom blame the current Electoral Commission for failing to adapt to evolving political challenges.
Adding to the pressure is the revelation that Dr. Tanga Odoi has been operating without a formal contract, a situation that makes his position precarious.
Analysts suggest this administrative oversight could make it easier for the party leadership to act swiftly on the petition without legal hurdles.
“Dr. Odoi is vulnerable now, and the party leadership knows it. With the primaries approaching, they may decide to act quickly to save the party’s image,” a source close to the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) disclosed.
However, the timing of the petition has thrown the NRM into turmoil as party primaries loom. Internal divisions, if not resolved, could weaken grassroots mobilization and embolden the opposition. Some analysts warn that the crisis highlights a broader need for reforms within the party’s electoral processes.
The petition, now under consideration by the NRM leadership, places immense pressure on President Museveni and the Central Executive Committee to take decisive action. How they respond could determine whether the NRM stabilizes or faces further internal fractures.
However, a Senior NRM honcho well versed with the President’s Modus Operandi, intimated to this reporter that President Museveni is not known to act under pressure.
“President Museveni always surprises critics who believe they are working to improve the system from within by actually doing the contrary. So don’t be surprised if he renews Dr. Tanga Odoi’s contract,” he said.
