By BM
Tensions within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) continue to escalate as Collins Tanga, son of the NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi, has sharply criticized the party’s tribunal ruling that nullified his victory in the NRM Youth League elections.
In a charged media appearance at Makerere University Convocation gardens, Collins reportedly dismissed the ruling as a politically motivated move, framing it as a broader effort to discredit his father.
He is said to have accused the tribunal of targeting Dr. Tanga Odoi under the guise of addressing electoral irregularities, arguing that the decision went beyond legal interpretation and crossed into personal territory.
Observers noted that the tribunal’s decision, announced on September 8, voided Collins Tanga’s win due to tallying errors, procedural violations, and perceived conflict of interest, given that his father had presided over the election.
However, Collins was understood to have insisted that his father had no role in manipulating the results, maintaining that the election outcome reflected the genuine will of the voters.
He reportedly claimed that the tribunal had used him as a pawn to indirectly damage Dr. Odoi’s reputation and influence within the party.
According to Collins, the ruling had little to do with justice or transparency, and more to do with settling internal political scores and curbing the Odoi family’s growing clout.
Collins is also said to have expressed disbelief that the tribunal did not find a single instance where his father interfered with the voting process, yet still barred him from any involvement in the rerun.
He reportedly interpreted this as a clear indication that the tribunal’s intentions were less about fairness and more about appeasing internal factions within the party.
Following the nullification, the tribunal directed that a fresh election be conducted and that Dr. Tanga Odoi step aside to allow for independent oversight by other Electoral Commission members.
The ruling also emphasized that none of the candidates could be declared duly elected based on the flawed records.
Collins, however, appeared unshaken. He was reported to have vowed to contest again, declaring that he would win without his father anywhere near the process.
He suggested that his renewed victory would serve as proof that the initial decision to annul the election had been baseless and politically charged.
Political analysts following the saga noted that the Youth League elections had now become symbolic of deeper rifts within the NRM, with the battle for influence among emerging young leaders turning into a proxy war between party factions.
Collins’ name, and by extension that of his father, had become central to a struggle that many believed was about more than just a single election.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tanga Odoi, though removed from overseeing the upcoming rerun, reportedly expressed confidence in his son’s chances.
He is said to have remarked that Collins might even perform better without him involved, implying that the controversy may have bolstered public sympathy and support.
President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM National Chairman, reportedly played a behind-the-scenes role in the decision to reset the election.
Sources within the party indicated that Museveni pushed for a fresh poll to restore public confidence in the Youth League’s integrity and prevent the fallout from escalating further.
As the party prepares for a rerun under greater scrutiny, insiders say the battle is far from over.
The Collins Tanga controversy has not only raised questions about internal democracy within the NRM but also about the future of political dynasties and the influence of legacy figures like Dr. Tanga Odoi.
While the tribunal may have handed down its verdict, the political war, according to those close to the situation, is only just beginning.(For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
