Political heavyweights from Kampala, including President Museveni, made their final appeals to sway undecided voters in Oyam North Constituency. The key figures who visited the northern Uganda district before campaigns closed were National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) counterpart Patrick Oboi Amuriat. Jimmy Akena, the head of a splinter faction of Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party, also campaigned to garner support for the only female candidate, Dr. Eunice Apio Otuko.
Tomorrow, approximately 93,000 voters in Oyam North Constituency will head to the polls to elect a new Member of Parliament, replacing the late Col (rtd) Charles Macodwogo Engola, who was tragically shot dead by a military guard in May. The race features four candidates, including academic-cum-researcher Otuko of UPC, Mr. Samuel Engola Okello representing the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, and contenders from NUP and FDC, Daniel Okello and Newton Freddy Okello, respectively. Unlike previous contests, this by-election involves political party-affiliated candidates rather than independents.
During a recent campaign event at Tegony Primary School in Iceme Town Council, President Museveni highlighted the NRM’s political strategy, emphasizing its reliance on science rather than guesswork. He asserted that his support for Sam Okello Junior, the son of the late minister, is for the benefit of Oyam voters. Museveni praised the late minister’s role in eradicating the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency and restoring peace in the region.
Bobi Wine, on the other hand, addressed a rally in Oyam Town, criticizing the idea of recycling another NRM loyalist as the constituency’s representative. He warned voters against accepting bribes, urging them to prioritize the future and development of the people over short-term gains.
This indicates a high-stakes political showdown in Oyam North Constituency, with influential figures making last-minute efforts to secure votes for their respective candidates.
