Kampala, Uganda: The Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth Oboth, has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming he has withdrawn from the race for NRM Vice Chairperson (Eastern Region) in favour of the incumbent, Capt. Mike Mukula.
In recent days, several Facebook pages, WhatsApp groups, and local broadcasts, particularly Voice of Teso FM, a station linked to Mukula, shared posts suggesting Oboth had exited the race in support of Mukula. The claims remain unverified and uncorroborated by official NRM channels.
On X (formerly Twitter), Oboth publicly condemned the claims and tagged the NRM Secretariat, challenging the credibility of those behind the allegations.
The Minister would further address Monitor newspaper on Sunday, describing the allegations as a deliberate campaign of deceit meant to sabotage his credibility and discourage competition within the ruling party.
“I have never spoken to Mike Mukula about this race. I have not met or discussed with any of the people making these claims. This false narrative that I stepped down to help Ofwono Opondo secure a slot as MP for elders is not only untrue, but it is also counterproductive,” Oboth stated.
The Minister, who is also West Budama Central MP, accused Mukula’s camp of practicing political tribalism to manipulate NRM structures and retain power. “If the issue is that we come from different regions, let me remind them that Bukedi, my region, has never had anyone in the NRM secretariat for years. The marginalisation we face could be attributed to this lack of high-level representation,” he said.
Oboth confirmed that while he has not yet picked nomination forms, he has been consulting widely across Eastern Uganda, and the claims have only solidified his determination to contest.
“This is an insult. Politics built on lies and deception must stop. I am not a greedy politician. I am driven by conviction. If anything, this convinces me even more that I must run,” he added.
The minister further branded the disinformation campaign as “a replica of the deceit that has enabled Mukula to stay in the seat for so long.” “I hate such politics. People without integrity should not be leading us,” he charged.
Mukula has yet to issue a personal response. However, his campaign handler Bernard Eumu, a former FDC politician from Ngora who crossed to NRM, described the incident as “one of many conspiracies aimed at discrediting Mukula’s candidature.”
The NRM Eastern Vice Chair post is a strategic position in the party’s Central Executive Committee, especially as the NRM prepares to consolidate support ahead of the 2026 general elections.
The race for has attracted multiple contenders, including David Calvin Echodu from Soroti, Dr. Musa Lumumba, Buyela Christopher, Oboth Oboth himself, and incumbent Capt. Mike Mukula, who has held the post since 2010.
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