Emptiness filled Naitakwai Grounds in Moroto on Tuesday after Revolutionary Peasants Party (RPP) presidential candidate Frank Bulira Kabinga failed to appear for his own campaign rally.
Bulira, who was scheduled to address supporters as part of his presidential campaign on Tuesday, October 14, was nowhere to be seen.
No member of his campaign team arrived to represent him or explain his absence.
By 4pm, the venue remained deserted—no stage, no banners, and no preparations for a political event.
The only activity nearby was the occasional car on the Moroto-Soroti highway and a few locals walking by, unaware that any RPP candidate was expected.
“I have never heard of that party or its president. I’m on my way to sell firewood in town,” said local resident Regina Awas.
Police in Moroto confirmed that no communication had been received from Kabinga or his team regarding security or event logistics.
“We haven’t received any notice from Mr Bulira or his campaign team. As far as we know, no rally was officially planned here today,” said Mike Longole, Karamoja Police spokesperson.
The RPP, a lesser-known political formation in Uganda, has no established structures in the Karamoja sub-region.
Local election officials say the party has no offices, agents, or registered candidates for mayoral, LC5, or other local positions.
The absence of both the candidate and his representatives has raised questions about the party’s organizational capacity and seriousness in the presidential race.
Many Moroto residents, who had never heard of Bulira before, took the incident lightly.
“We know the main candidates who have been visiting Karamoja, but this one is new to us,” said Richard Lokol, a local resident.
The presidential campaigns have been hit by instances of candidates not showing up at their scheduled rally venues for unexplained reasons with Bulira among those who have skipped a couple of rallies so far.
Efforts to reach Bulira or any of his associates for comment were unsuccessful as of press time.