It is crunch time for the competing political camps, who are shifting through the gears as the July 6 Oyam North byelection draws ever closer.

The race has tightened, especially between the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the Uganda People`s Congress (UPC), after more political heavyweights joined the mixer.

On one side, Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua and co are said to be traversing the villages of Oyam to drum up support for the NRM candidate.

On the UPC side, party president and Lira City East MP Jimmy Akena is busy with his team do the same.

Samuel Engola Junior, who is looking to replace his late father Charles Okello Engola, is carrying the NRM flag.

Akena campaigning for UPC candidate at Aleka, Oyam

'UPC here to remain'

The UPC camp has invested its energies — and hopes — in its candidate, Dr Eunice Apio Otuku.

Akena has joined forces with other UPC legislators to ensure that it is their candidate that reigns supreme in the upcoming by-election.

The UPC leader said he is pitching camping in Oyam to campaign for Apio and stick around until the last vote is counted.

“Every time I campaign, I campaign for UPC because I believe in UPC," he told the residents of Aleke sub-county on Wednesday.

"That is why I stand here as the [party] president to ensure that we win this election.

“Whatever people say about UPC, let them say, but the party is here to remain and become stronger and stronger again."

Akena has been joined by MPs Maxwell Akora of Maruzi, Bob Okae of Kwania North, Kenney Auma Lapat of Kwania, Jonathan Odur of Erute South, Sodrick Obong Eyit of Lira City West, and Santa Alum Ogwang of Oyam.

Candidate Apio rallied the people of Oyam to elect her into Parliament, saying she has a well-laid down agenda to fight household poverty and improve performance.

She said she will also lobby for the extension of electricity in Oyam and improvement of agriculture.

In the NRM camp, Ajuri county MP Obua was joined by MP Judith Alyek of Kole district and Andrew Ojok Oulanyah to comb for support for their candidate.

Ojok is the son of the late Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah. He replaced his father as the MP of Omoro County.

MP Betty Engola, former MP Krispus Ayena Odongo and presidential advisor in charge of Lango sub-region Sam Engola are also on the NRM quest for byelection victory.

NRM secretary general Richard Todwong, director of mobilization Rose Mary Seninde and director of communications Emmanuel Dombo joined the ring last week.

Other candidates in the race are Freddy Newton Okello of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Daniel Okello of the National Unity Platform (NUP).

The parliamentary seat being battled for fell vacant following the death of Engola on May 2.

The labour state minister was gunned down by his bodyguard at his home in Kyanja, Kampala, only a day after his last public appearance at an International Labour Day national commemoration.