Alaso gets ANT nod for Feb 23 Serere byelection

Jan 25, 2023

Alaso was unveiled as the ANT candidate in Kampala by the party’s co-ordinator for election mobilisation, Winnie Kiiza.

Alice Alaso being unveiled for Serere Parliamentary bye-election as the ANT candidate in Kampala by party officials. (Credit: Nelson Mandela Muhoozi)

Nelson Mandela Muhoozi
Journalist @New Vision

POLITICS | ANT | ALASO

SERERE - The opposition Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party Wednesday unveiled Alice Alaso as its flagbearer for the February 23 Serere County byelection.

The parliamentary seat fell vacant after the death of Patrick Okabe in a December 19 motor accident that also claimed his wife, Christine.

The Electoral Commission released the programme for the byelection on January 4.

Alaso was unveiled as the ANT candidate in Kampala by the party’s co-ordinator for election mobilisation, Winnie Kiiza.

The former Leader of Opposition in Parliament said their candidate is "a leader of integrity" and one that "the people of Serere need".

"She has been in Parliament and she is a tested leader and we trust that given a chance, she will serve the people of Serere well,” Kiiza said of a politician who was the Woman representative for Serere in the eighth, ninth and tenth parliaments.

“The party held primaries and the consensus chose Alaso to represent it for this position. I call upon Serere people to support Alaso because she did tremendous work for the people when she was in Parliament."

'Useful voice'

On her part, Alaso pledged to act as a unifying factor to what she called a divided Serere region.

“As you know we lost a leader [Patrick Okabe] and the process is a constitutional process. My commitment is that Serere people will be well represented in the Parliament of Uganda,” she said.

“The people asked me to represent them. And I want to fulfill their wish. My prayer is that I will be a useful voice added to the people of Uganda.

“My pledge is to be an advocate for the defense of the human rights for the people of Serere and the people with disabilities (PWDs)."

At the unveiling, former Ntungamo Municipality MP Gerald Karuhanga said that Alaso is a unique brain, adding that the people of Serere will benefit by bringing her into Parliament.

'Prepared for battle'

Gen. Mugisha Muntu said that the party wants to ensure hope for good leadership remains alive.

“What sustains people is the hope that things will be better tomorrow. We want to assure people that our struggle for a peaceful transition of power will stay till we achieve our objective,” he said.

“We are walking in this journey by faith. We shall do whatever we can humanly possible and leave the rest to God."

Former opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president and ex-presidential candidate Muntu added: "We are prepared for this battle, and we believe that the people of Serere will trust us with their votes.”

The schedule

The Electoral Commission programme for the byelection started with the updating of the national voter's register from January 6 to January 10 in each of the 38 parishes and wards in Serere County. 

January 10 was the deadline for registration and transfer of voters from one polling station to another within the county.

The voter's register is now being displayed for 10 days - from January 23 until February 1 at all the 138 polling stations in the county.

The display of parish tribunal recommendations for deletion from/or inclusion on the register will be conducted for six days - from February 1 until February 6 - at the respective parish or ward headquarters.

The nomination of candidates will be conducted on February 9 and February 10 at the office of the Serere district returning officer.

Nominated candidates will then conduct campaign meetings for nine days - from February 13 until February 21.

Polling and tallying of results for the byelection will be conducted on February 23.

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