TRENDING STORY! Tight Race for NRM Karamoja Vice Chairperson as Mark Longole Takes Early Lead

Tight Race for NRM Karamoja Vice Chairperson as Mark Longole Takes Early Lead

By JK Olot

Kampala, Uganda —The contest for the position of NRM Vice Chairperson for Karamoja is heating up, with early indicators pointing to a strong lead by Mark Longole, the Napak District NRM Chairman. A recent mini-survey suggests that Longole could potentially sweep the vote, positioning him as the frontrunner among seven candidates vying for the influential regional role.

According to a survey conducted by the Karamoja Leadership Institute (KALI) between August 11 and August 16, 2025, Longole is leading the pack with support from 53% of the 237 delegates interviewed across 30 districts in Uganda. The survey was conducted via phone and covered five districts from each of the six sub-regions: Karamoja, Eastern, Northern, Central, Western, and Kampala.

Survey Rankings

Here is how the candidates rank according to the KALI survey:

1. Mark Longole (Napak District NRM Chairman)– 53%

2. Dr. Lokii John Baptist (MP, Matheniko)– 17%

3. Dr. Johnson Ngorok (Director, Napak Heights Hotel) – 11%

4. Rex Achilla (former RDC) – 9%

5. Hon. Lokii Peter Abrahams (MP, Jie County) – 5%

6. Hon. Ochero Noman (MP, Labwor County) – 3%

7. Hadijja Adams (Businesswoman) – 2%

Delegates cited Longole’s direct engagement with them, his clear vision, and his clean track record as key reasons for their support.

 “Mark came and consulted us in Masindi. That was great—for a man from Karamoja to come all the way here. He is a people-centered leader,” said one delegate.

Another delegate from Kotido praised Longole for his contribution to peacebuilding efforts in Karamoja during his tenure as Uganda Country Program Manager for Peace Building with Mercy Corps-Uganda. Others pointed to his active role during the recently concluded NRM primaries in Napak District as evidence of his loyalty and dedication to the party.

When reached for comment, Longole confirmed that he has traveled to 120 districts across Uganda in his campaign efforts, missing only a few in the Central and Western regions.

 “Mark is a unifying leader who will bridge the gap not only in Karamoja but across Northern Uganda and the country as a whole,” noted a delegate from Arua.

Other candidates who made personal outreach to delegates, according to the survey, included Rex Achilla, Dr. Johnson Ngorok, and Dr. Lokii John Baptist. Delegates said they were less familiar with the remaining candidates, having only seen their names or campaign materials online.

Some aspirants, however, expressed concern over the structure of the national campaign process.

 “It’s extremely costly and time-consuming to traverse the entire country,” said one candidate. “In future, the campaign and elections should be limited to delegates from the relevant sub-regions.”

The NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) is currently vetting candidates. The final vote for the Karamoja Vice Chairperson position is scheduled to take place from August 27 to 28, 2025.