CANDIDATES IN ADJUMANI CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY AND EQUALITY AS CAMPAIGNS KICK OFF.
By Anzoo Evaline.
Aspiring candidates for both the Parliamentary and District Chairperson seats in Adjumani have appealed to the District Returning Officer (RO) and the District Security Committee to ensure transparency, fairness, and equal treatment of all contestants during the upcoming 2026 general election campaign rallies scheduled to start on 10th Nov. 2025 during the harmonization of the campaign roadmap.
The appeal was made during a consultative meeting held on Monday 27th October 2025 convened by the Adjumani District Returning Officer to harmonize the campaign roadmap at Lavic Resort Hotel, where candidates, electoral officials, and security representatives gathered to discuss the coordination of campaign activities ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Several aspirants expressed concern over past experiences in which some candidates were allegedly favored with more convenient campaign schedules and security deployment, creating tension among contenders and their supporters. They emphasized that this time, all candidates should be given equal access to venues, security escorts, and campaign dates to promote a peaceful and credible electoral process.
Speaking on behalf of the aspirants, Hon. Tandrupasi Patrick called for transparency and fairness in the entire electoral process.
“You talk of being non-partisan, let this communication be true and should be exercised. Because in most cases, we realize in the field when we are now campaigning, most of the candidates on opposition side will be treated not equally. We have a lot of examples. And here you talk of not campaigning in the institutions, you have left out prisons. There are people who will be barred out actually out to go and campaign that side and there are people who will be accepted to go and campaign in the prisons. Let it be equal to everybody”, Tandrupasi said.
Hon. Kaijuka Arthur Richard, who represented Hon. Anyama Ben, who is contesting on the independent ticket for the District Chairperson seat, also urged the security team, particularly the police, to treat every candidate equally regardless of their political party.
“You might have known from history what Adjumani is when it comes to election. They labelled it to be a hotspot. And it’s being hotspot is normally created by the players. One of the players is your office RO, for which we want to say first of all, thank you for calling this meeting meaning that you are now trying to arrange what is supposed to be done transparently. But let it be so. Thank God that the person who came to represent the DPC is here and the DISO. Incidentally, the DISO is not there and the DPC is not there”, Hon. Kaijuka narrated.
He added that “Madam R.O. and the members here, in some years back, the same DISO who is right now here was used to rig election. And he’s here. We lost human beings, candidates. Houses were burned. And it was because of election malpractices. We pray. You play your role. Each and every person here plays his or her role. Because we don’t want to lose lives. In elections all animals are equal and we must guide. You talked of yourself OC station. You talked by yourself. Let us do what we are saying”.
Hon. Draga Gasper, one of the candidates for the Adjumani West Constituency Member of Parliament seat, appealed to the security team and electoral officials to remain neutral and professional throughout the campaign period.
“Many people talked have about Adjumani being a hot spot. There is a say that history normally repeat itself. But it can at times be dodged. The security people talked very well. I believe they will really go by that. Indeed, this is a hot spot. There has been a lot of allegations. Some of us never contested during primary election. But we have been hearing what has been going on the radio and I’m requesting you, the stakeholders, to manage this election very perfectly. So that we can end up with a united Adjumani than dividing us”, Draga said.
In response, the District Returning Officer, Akao Eunice Christine, assured the candidates that her office would not support or Favor any candidate regardless of their political affiliation.
“When you look at the last general elections, there were coded forms. They came from the field and when you put the information into the system, it would either accept or reject. So, I believe the same method will be used during the last general election is going to be the same. But also, we have an opportunity at every polling station. The declaration forms are left at every polling station. Every aspiring candidate is allowed to have two agents at a polling station”, said Akao.
Odong Raymond, the Officer in Charge of Adjumani Central Police Station who represented the DPC, also pledged full cooperation, promising fairness for all candidates during their campaign rallies and urging them to follow the established procedures.
“You talk of mistreatment of opposition by security forces. Ideally, I don’t think whether you are mistreated or not. I think this is the 30th general elections I’m policing since I joined police. I pray for the best that everyone should be treated equally. And for you to be treated equally also, you also must listen to the guidelines”, Odong said.
The meeting concluded with an agreement that the harmonized campaign roadmap for each candidate would be shared publicly once finalized, marking a significant step toward a peaceful and orderly election season in Adjumani District.
END.