By Davis Mugabi

Uganda’s largest opposition political party (by representation in Parliament), the National Unity Platform (NUP) will not field a candidate in the Soroti East by-election.

On May 24, 2022, the Court of Appeal declared the Soroti East MP seat vacant on grounds that the Electoral Commission failed to conduct free and fair elections.

Following that, the EC issued a roadmap in the run-up to fresh polls. According to the roadmap, the nomination of candidates will take place on July 18, 2022 and June 19, 2022 followed by campaigns between July 21, 2022 and July 26, 2022 while polling will take place on July 28, 2022.

Against the above background, the opposition Forum for Democratic Change – FDC, zeroed on Moses Attan (pictured) as the party’s candidate.

Now, the NUP say “We have taken the decision not to field a candidate in the upcoming by-election for Soroti East Constituency in Soroti City.”

The party adds, “As the National Unity Platform, we will back the FDC candidate, Hon. Attan Moses.”

This means that Attan comes head-to-head against his former FDC colleague, Herbert Ariko of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.