By Maria Mariam Namala
The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) has declined to field a candidate in Adjumani West parliamentary by-election in Adjumani District .
Instead, NUP endorsed independent candidate Patrick Tandrupasi, citing concerns over the circumstances surrounding the previous election.
NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya said several people had expressed interest in contesting for the party ticket, but the party would not issue a card to any of them for the by-election.
Rubongoya said the decision was deliberate and intended to avoid a repeat of what the party experienced during the previous election in Adjumani.
The by-election was triggered by the death of former area MP Moses Ali, who represented the constituency .
Rather than field its own candidate, NUP has chosen to support Tandrupasi, who is returning to the race as an independent candidate.
Tandrupasi previously contested for the Adjumani parliamentary seat in January on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket.
His return as an independent, now backed by NUP, gives him the support of a major opposition party despite the party’s decision not to formally enter a candidate under its ticket.
Rubongoya said NUP’s decision followed its assessment of the previous election and the circumstances surrounding it, although he did not indicate that the party would completely withdraw from political activity in the constituency.
The move sets up a different opposition strategy in the by-election, with NUP choosing to rally behind an independent candidate rather than risk splitting support by fielding its own contender.