30 women line up for 9 Lango Woman MP seats

As the battle for political position heats up countrywide, more than 30 women have expressed interest in representing women in the nine districts that make up Lango Sub-region, in the next Parliament.
Today, the battle for the woman MP seats for Amolatar, Alebtong, Apac, Dokolo, Kole, Lira, Kwania, Otuke and Oyam districts is skyrocketing, with 21 aspirants eyeing the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket.
Eight hopefuls are eyeing the seat on Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) ticket, three to contest for the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party and one running as an independent.

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Amuru District, Ms Linda Auma, also daughter to late David Oyite Ojok is headed to Lira District, where she hopes to unseat the incumbent, UPC’s Joy Atim Ongom.
Ms Auma contested under NRM in the 2016 polls but was defeated by Ms Ongom.
“Now I’m coming back in this race to reclaim my victory because this victory was mine. It was snatched away from me,” Ms Auma told Daily Monitor last week.
But Ms Auma has to tussle it out with three other NRM women to become the flag bearer.

Other hopefuls for the Lira woman MP seat are Health minister Jane Ruth Aceng, Ms Gloria Akello and Ms Sarah Awor Angweri, who are all said to be contesting under NRM.
Ms Ongom, however, says: “I have done a lot for the people of Lira and voters will still take me back to Parliament.”
In Otuke, Alebtong RDC Josephine Omara Olili and Ms Susan Abeja Okello are running against the incumbent, NRM’s Silvia Akello.

Ms Omara and Abeja, are both running on the NRM ticket.
In Alebtong, FDC’s Elizabeth Abongo is battling with three NRM women: Ms Dorcus Acen, Ms Barbara Akech and Ms Beatrice Molly Abang to uproot the incumbent woman MP, Ms Christine Acen Ayo (NRM) in the 2021 polls.
In Amolatar, Dr Agness Atim Apea, who was trounced by the incumbent, Ms Doreen Amule (NRM), is back again. However, NRM’s Atim popularly known as Imat Ocere is also battling for the seat with Ms Colline Angwech (FDC) and Ms Marylyn Akello (UPC).
UPC’s Kenny Auma, who was beaten by Ms Betty Awor Engola (NRM) for the Apac woman MP seat in 2016, is shifting ground to Kwania, where she is battling for the seat with NRM’s Judith Atek Ilwak and Ms Judith Amongi (Ind).

In Apac, the battle for the woman MP seat is between the incumbent Betty Awor Engola (NRM), Ms Rebecca Adia Moro (NRM) and UPC’s Susan Achola Engola. In Dokolo, the incumbent MP, Ms Cecilia Atim Ogwal (FDC), will have to work pretty hard to retain her seat since UPC has planted Ms Sarah Aguti Nyangkori to uproot her. She has occupied the seat for more than 15 years.
The Dokolo female youth councillor, Ms Rebecca Arao (NRM), is also running against Ms Ogwal.

In Kole, ambassador Joy Ruth Aceng is back. This time, she wants to tussle it out with NRM’s Judith Alyek, who defeated her in the 2016 elections.
But Ms Aceng is not alone. Other three aspirants eyeing the UPC ticket are Ms Ann Alum Ogwal, Ms Lorna Eunice Akullo and Ms Jannet Auma Okullo.
In Oyam District, nobody has declared intentions to unseat the incumbent woman MP, Ms Santa Alum Ogwang (UPC).
However, Dr Eunice Apio (UPC) is running against State minister for Defence, Col Charles Okello Engola Macodwogo (NRM), for the Oyam North Constituency seat.

Background
The seats for women representatives in Lango in Parliament have always been won by the ruling NRM, except for Dokolo and Lira which have been taken over by FDC and UPC, respectively.
Voters have been calling radio stations in Lira, vowing to elect people who will represent their interests in Parliament.

About the candidates
Career. Ms Santa Alum, a social scientist born on December 2, 1972, entered the august House in 2016 after she defeated NRM’s Beatrice Amongi Lagada.
Ms Atim Ongom of Lira District is a businesswoman who joined Parliament in 2011. She holds a Diploma in Business Studies. Ms Atim Cecilia Ogwal is a businesswoman and management consultant. She is one of the longest serving legislators in Parliament, having joined the House in 1994 to represent Lira Municipality during the Constitution making process.

The 73-year-old politician remained a vocal voice until 2006 when she lost her Lira Municipality seat to Mr Jimmy Akena. She bounced back in 2011 to represent the newly created Dokolo District as Woman MP, a seat she retained in 2016.
Ms Acen was elected woman MP for Alebtong in the 2016. She completed Senior Six and started running her business. Ms Alyek has a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Management and was elected Kole Woman MP in 2016 after she trounced UPC’s Ruth Achieng.

Dr Aceng is the minister of Health. She has vast experience both as a manager and practicing medical personnel, which she accumulated while serving in various capacities; as a medical officer, senior medical officer, medical officer special grade, medical superintendent, consultant paediatrician, hospital director and director general of Health Services.
Silvia Akello was elected Otuke woman MP in 2016. Kenny Auma did Development Studies and currently works as a local contractor in Lango.