There’s an old adage that says “one’s success is told by the successes of his predecessor.” Unfortunately, this seems far from the truth for Mr. Echodu, whose performance so far falls short of the vibrant legacy left by Captain Mike Mukula. In less than three months in office, Echodu appears overwhelmed by the big shoes he sought to fill — and at this rate, he risks being remembered as one of the least effective, if not most controversial, NRM Vice Chairpersons for Eastern Uganda.
Reports indicate that Mr. Echodu has taken steps to usurp the leadership of the National NRM Youth League, a move widely viewed as undemocratic and disenfranchising to the youth who freely and fairly elected their leaders through party structures. The youth now question what personal interests Echodu may have in one Ome Samuel, given his alleged effort to influence the NRM tribunal to overturn the election of Mr. Kiyimba Rakibu — who had been duly nominated, campaigned successfully, and won only to have his victory stripped away on questionable grounds.
This decision has angered many NRM youth, who overwhelmingly and proudly saw Kiyimba as their only representative in the newly constituted party structures. If Echodu succeeds in replacing Kiyimba with Ome, it may be a personal triumph for him and his allies, but it raises a deeper question: what does this mean to the 1281 youths across Uganda democratically voted for Kiyimba Rakibu.
The youths especially in Busoga have expressed deep resentment over the matter, warning that their morale and motivation to mobilize for the NRM in the coming national elections have significantly dropped. They note that Busoga only managed to secure this single position in the recently concluded elections .
In light of these developments, one cannot help but wonder whether Echodu’s early moves are strengthening or fracturing the very party he was elected to lead in the East.
