Tensions have escalated in Lira City’s City East Division following the arrest of Dray Okello, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) parish supervisor for Acwao Ward, on allegations of electoral malpractice during the ongoing party primaries.
Dray was arrested on Thursday morning after security operatives reportedly found him in possession of 95 campaign posters and 71 appointment letters bearing the name of one of the candidates vying for the city mayoral seat.
Confirming the arrest, Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Lawrence Egole described the incident as a serious breach of electoral conduct, warning that such actions threaten the credibility and transparency of the election process in the division.
“This arrest is a wake-up call. We will not tolerate any malpractice that undermines the integrity of the electoral process,” Egole stated.
The arrest has triggered fresh concerns among political stakeholders and the public, many of whom have already expressed skepticism following a string of reported irregularities in NRM primaries across the country.
The NRM electoral commission in Lira has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter.
However, local leaders and civil society observers have urged the party to act decisively and transparently to restore public confidence ahead of the general elections.
As the primaries continue, the incident adds to a growing list of irregularities that threaten to derail the credibility of internal party elections—raising questions about internal accountability mechanisms and the preparedness of NRM to conduct free and fair primaries across all regions.