NRM Youth league saga: Tribunal nullifies Tanga Odoi son's election, order fresh polls over conflict of interest

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National Resistance Movement (NRM) election disputes tribunal has nullified the election of Collins Tanga as chairperson of the party's Youth League and ordered a fresh poll.

The tribunal, in its findinds, cites severe electoral irregularities, unlawful candidate exclusion and conflict of interest involving Collin’s father, Dr Tanga Odoi, who is also the party’s electoral commission chairperson.

The contested election was held between August 26 and 27, 2025, at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala city, but was challenged by three petitioners: Brenda Kiconco, Wilson Otto, and Mackline Natukwasa, who were part of the contest.

“The father-son relationship created not only a perception but an actual situation of collusion,” argued Kiconco through her legal team, insisting that Odoi’s refusal to recuse himself fatally tainted the election.

Kiconco, who was declared runner-up in the race, claimed she polled 1,355 votes against Collins’ 1,167, yet 400 votes were unlawfully added to his tally to inflate his final result to 1,567.

She said she had been robbed of her victory, backing her claims with audio clips from the vote count and videos allegedly showing Odoi whispering to the presiding officer during tallying.

She further questioned Collins' age eligibility, citing the National Youth Council Act, which defines youth as individuals aged 18 to 30.

Brenda Kiconco, a candidate for the National NRM chairperson going through her ruling at the NRM legal offices in Kampala.

She said Collins, aged 31 at the time of the poll, should have been disqualified.

Collins defends himself

But Collins defended himself noting that the NRM Constitution defines youth within the party context as aged 18 to 35, a position which was also supported by his father.

“I was lawfully nominated, duly elected, and properly declared,” Collins told the tribunal.

Irregularities

Otto pointed to the unauthorised participation of 292 district youth councillors, permitted to vote only in Youth MP elections under NRM rules, and noted that four candidates, including himself, were denied agents during the lining-up process.

“Night voting and counting created confusion, irregular participation, and voter fatigue,” Otto added, as he demanded a new election.

On her part, Natukwasa said she had been wrongly excluded from the race based on a false claim, made by the EC chairperson at a State House meeting, that she had withdrawn her candidacy.

“I never withdrew. That lie humiliated me and misled my supporters,” she told the panel, supported by affidavits from her agents and delegates.

She also noted an error on the official results form that listed Collins as Vice Chairperson instead of Chairperson, calling it evidence of the poll’s administrative collapse.

Collective responsibility

On his part, Odoi admitted Collins was his son but claimed the commission operated collectively, with Ambassador James Kinobe overseeing the tallying.

He insisted the videos were misrepresented, saying, “I never whispered directives or influenced the results.”

Verdict

However, the tribunal panel, led by John Tumusiime who also doubles as the tribunal chaiperson, alongside Diana Kasabiiti and Esau Isingoma (members), noted in his ruling that the unlawful exclusion of candidates, the repeated postponements, and the conflict of interest in Tanga Odoi presiding fatally compromised the election.

Although the panel found Collins to be within the youth age bracket per the NRM Constitution, they advised the party to consider harmonising its internal rules with the national statutory framework to avoid future disputes.

On the specific allegations of vote inflation, the tribunal found insufficient proof to establish that the official results form had been tampered with.

But it accepted that Kiconco’s claims, alongside Otto and Natukwasa’s testimonies, demonstrated a breakdown of electoral credibility.

“The tribunal takes judicial notice that unlike other leagues, which managed to vote and conclude elections for all their positions, the Youth League only managed to elect a single position before the exercise collapsed,” the ruling read.

The tribunal nullified Collin’s victory and directed the NRM Electoral Commission to organize a new election for the position of Youth League Chairperson.

However, the tribunal barred Odoi from overseeing or participating in any capacity in the fresh election.

“The other commissioners in the Electoral Commission shall conduct the election of the Youth League Chairperson,” the ruling ordered.

Kiconco, who is the main petitioner in the case, welcomed the tribunal’s ruling, saying the youth’s choice had been ignored.

She also backed the removal of Odoi, stressing that NRM elections should serve the party, not individuals.