Open Letter to His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

Your Excellency,

We write to you as citizens of Uganda and concerned community members of Karenga District, expressing our deep appreciation for your decades of leadership and your vital role in shaping Uganda’s post-independence path. Under your guidance, Uganda has made remarkable progress in infrastructure, education, and regional diplomacy. Your unwavering dedication to national stability, even in the face of internal and regional challenges, is truly commendable.

We particularly wish to extend our congratulations to you and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) for successfully conducting a peaceful and seemingly fraud-free primary election for Members of Parliament, LC V Chairpersons, Mayors, Councillors, and other elective positions. These elections are essential components of our democratic process.

On July 17, 2025, the NRM Electoral Commission conducted primary elections across Karenga District for the positions of Woman Member of Parliament and County MP. The elections were carried out peacefully across all 228 polling stations, with security personnel, civil society observers, candidate agents, and presiding officers present to verify the process. No formal complaints were registered, and all declaration forms were properly signed.

The tallying process began in a smooth and transparent manner, starting with the results for the Woman MP race. However, a serious irregularity occurred during the process. The District Registrar (DR) disclosed that he had received instructions from the Hon. Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, who is also the incumbent Woman MP and a candidate in the same race, to halt the tallying of results from two sub-counties, without providing any clear explanation.

To our shock and disappointment, the tallying process has not resumed to this day. Instead, there are ongoing efforts to nullify the results from Kakwanga and Lobalangit sub-counties, areas that are home to the Nyangia (also known as Nyang’i or Nyangiya), one of the five Indigenous Minority Groups (IMGs) in Northern Karamoja.

This attempt, allegedly initiated by the incumbent Woman MP and Minister for Ethics and Integrity, raises serious constitutional and legal concerns. Notably, no incident or complaint has been reported from either of the two sub-counties. The exclusion of these areas appears to be a calculated effort to influence the outcome in her favor, thereby undermining the democratic rights of the Nginyangia people and the broader community of Karenga District.

This attempt to disenfranchise voters in Kakwanga and Lobalangit appears to violate multiple legal provisions:

• Article 1(4) of the Constitution: "The people shall express their will on who shall govern them and how they should be governed, through regular, free and fair elections."
• Article 59(1): "Every citizen of Uganda of eighteen years of age or above has a right to vote."
• Article 21(1): "All persons are equal before and under the law in all spheres of political, economic, social and cultural life..."
• Parliamentary Elections Act, Section 25(1) "prohibits any form of bribery, coercion or undue influence on voters or the process."
• The Equal Opportunities Commission Act (2007) "emphasizes non-discrimination, particularly for ethnic minorities and marginalized groups."

By excluding the votes from these two sub-counties without evidence, formal complaint, or lawful cause, the rights of citizens, particularly ethnic minorities, are being deliberately undermined, contrary to Uganda’s obligations under national and international human rights law.

The Nginyangia, an Indigenous group of approximately 9,634 people (2014 Census), have long faced marginalization, cultural erasure, and political underrepresentation. The deliberate cancellation of their votes only worsens historical injustices and threatens their constitutional right to participate equally in national governance.

Uganda is a signatory to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which both recognize the political and cultural rights of minority groups.

Your Excellency, you have always reiterated your commitment to fairness, transparency, and people-centered governance, as echoed in the NRM Party Constitution, which states that “the will of the people must always prevail”.

Elections that are not free, inclusive, or transparent compromise the very foundation of democratic governance. As citizens, we believe:

• Leaders must derive their authority from the will of the people, not from manipulation or exclusion.
• Tallying results without bias and respecting the outcome are non-negotiable elements of democratic practice.
• Respecting the vote of every citizen, especially from marginalized communities, enhances national unity, trust, and peace.

In view of the above, we respectfully call upon you in your capacity as President, NRM Party Chairman, and a father of the nation, to act decisively in defense of democracy and constitutionalism. We specifically request:

1. That the NRM Electoral Commission immediately resume tallying of results from Kakwanga and Lobalangit sub-counties, and declare the full, accurate outcome of the July 17th primaries.
2. That Hon. Akello Rose Lilly, having served for over 15 years in Parliament and in Cabinet, be recognized for her contributions, but also encouraged to accept the will of the people and demonstrate humility. The community acknowledges her past service, and we welcome her continued role in national leadership as a Minister, if Your Excellency sees it fit, but not at the expense of electoral justice.

Respect for the people's voice, especially the most marginalized, is the true test of leadership and patriotism. Let this election be remembered as one where principle triumphed over politics, and where Your Excellency once again stood firmly on the side of justice, unity, and the rule of law.

Citizen of Uganda and Concerned Community Members
Karenga District