Echodu's Homecoming Sparks Political Shift in Teso as NRM Loyalties Split

Echodu's Homecoming Sparks Political Shift in Teso as NRM Loyalties Split

The ruling National Resistance Movement is staring down one of its most dramatic internal showdowns in years as David Calvin Echodu returns to Teso today to launch a full-throttle campaign against Capt. Mike Mukula’s hold on the region.

Echodu, the NRM flag bearer for Soroti City West and now a contender for the party’s National Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, is expected to draw thousands to Soroti Sports Grounds in a rally his team calls a “political reset” and turning point for the party in the East.

“This is Echodu’s first official return to Teso since declaring his intention to contest for a seat on the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC),” said Augustine Otuko, acting spokesperson for Echodu’s national campaign team.

“It is a chance to reconnect with the people and reawaken the spirit of purpose in Teso politics.”

Echodu announced his candidacy on April 2 in Kampala, and his campaign has quickly gained traction among party leaders and grassroots members disillusioned with Mukula, who has held the post for more than two decades.

Mukula’s critics accuse him of presiding over a period of personal consolidation at the expense of development in the sub-region.

“While Teso struggled with war, poverty, and cattle loss, Mukula was busy consolidating power,” Otuko said.

“Echodu, on the other hand, remained loyal to the party and served with humility.”

He cited Echodu’s philanthropic work through Pilgrim Africa, which has supported over 10,000 students, as well as his consistent advocacy for cattle compensation and cultural preservation, as evidence of leadership grounded in public service.

In a sign of how sharply the fault lines have deepened, NRM district chairpersons in the region have begun speaking out openly against Mukula.

On Thursday, Katakwi’s party chair John Richard Opio said Mukula’s time was up. “He has fought fellow NRM members instead of building the party. People are tired,” Opio said.

From Amuria, Isaac Okello Omiat called Mukula’s tenure “disunited and silent,” blaming him for stalling youth development and ignoring rural priorities.

“Echodu is the fresh start Teso needs,” he said.

Even Soroti’s NRM chairperson, also a presidential advisor, accused Mukula of betrayal.

“We’ve been threatened for speaking out, but enough is enough. The region must rise above fear and reclaim its voice.”

The Soroti rally, according to organisers, is more than a celebration—it is a declaration of political renewal and accountability.

“This Saturday will mark the beginning of a new era,” Otuko said.

“An era where service takes precedence over self-interest. Where leaders are chosen for their performance, not their proximity to power.”

Still, Mukula’s allies are mounting a fierce defence.

Supporters have flooded social media with reminders of his legacy—his role in ending insecurity through the Arrow Boys, boosting socio-economic empowerment, and consistently delivering a strong NRM vote from the East.

“He’s not an armchair critic,” one supporter wrote. “Mukula invests his own resources, personally engages communities, and delivers results—not press statements.”

The duel now unfolding in Teso is more than a clash of personalities; it is a test of whether the NRM’s rank and file in Eastern Uganda are ready to turn the page—and who they believe can deliver the next chapter.

Thousands gather in Soroti today for David Calvin Echodu’s homecoming, a rally seen as the sharpest challenge yet to Capt. Mike Mukula’s decades-long grip on Eastern Uganda’s NRM leadership