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David Calvin Echodu drew the attention of many Ugandans after becoming NRM Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, a position long held by Mike Mukula, a former minister and wealthy businessman.
Echodu’s support was so strong that Mukula, one of the NRM historicals, withdrew from the race. Netizens later discovered that he is married into a powerful American family.
His wife, Dorothy Echodu, with whom he has two children, is a US citizen and granddaughter of philanthropist and businessman Douglas Dillon, a former US Treasury Secretary and chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation.
Who is Calvin Echodu?
David Calvin Echodu is a journalist and entrepreneur.
He co-founded Pilgrim Africa, an international NGO based in Seattle with offices in Uganda, dedicated mainly to fighting malaria and its impact in sub-Saharan Africa.
Under his leadership, the organisation partnered with institutions such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Columbia University, Oxford University, and biotech firm Oxitec, known for innovations in biological pest control.
Beyond his NGO work, Echodu has been active in NRM politics, especially in the Teso sub-region.
He was recently endorsed unopposed as the NRM flagbearer for Soroti City in the 2026 elections.
In 2011, he funded mobilisation efforts that helped Teso residents compile claims for property and livestock lost during the insurgency, following a compensation directive by President Museveni.
He also sponsored NRM parliamentary candidates in the region, boosting the party’s revival, and has continued supporting its activities in subsequent elections.
To strengthen grassroots structures, he financed meetings of NRM leaders at district and sub-county levels in Teso, promoting party ideology and monitoring manifesto implementation.
Echodu studied at Makerere University before pursuing further education at Washington University in the United States.