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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has unveiled its flag-bearer for the Dokolo District Woman Member of Parliament by-election.

The team headed by director of mobilisation, Rosemary Seninde unveiled Janet Adongo Elau on Saturday, Feb 17, in a meeting held at Dokolo Parish hall in Dokolo Town Council.

Two NRM-leaning aspirants stepped down in favour of Adongo who contested in the previous election of 2021 and was defeated by the late Cecilia Barbara Atim Ogwal.

Four others however remained in the race despite several appeals by party bigwigs for them to drop the interest and rally behind Adongo.

Ogwal died on January 18, 2024, at a hospital in India of a cancer-related illness and was buried at Alito Town Council in Kole District on January 27, 2024.

The Electoral Commission has scheduled March 21, 2024, as the polling date.

At least 11 aspirants have shown interest in running in the by-election and among them include NRM’s Adongo, Uganda People’s Congress, Sarah Aguti Nyangkori, Dr Rosemary Alwoc Ogwal, of the Forum for Democratic Change and also a daughter to former MP Cecilia Ogwal, Irene Amongi Ajwika, Dr Grace Lalam Anna Atine, Rebecca Arao, Abang Beatrice, Dr Esther Akullo, Christine Acen, Eunice Ayugi and Harriet Ageno of the National Unity Platform.

Abang who is also the NRM chairperson for Dokolo running as an independent, rejected calls to step down including her colleagues, Ajwika, Arao and Dr Lalam.

Seninde advised them to reconsider their decision to run as independents though the party doesn’t stop them or entertain such stubbornness.

“When you want to stand as independents, for us we don’t tie rope,” she said.

“We let you go but the biggest problem is if we have known you as our NRM and you want to stand and divide our votes and give an opportunity to the opposition to go through and NRM loses, it means you have caused it,” she added.

“How will you come in 2026 and tell us or convince us that you are also standing under NRM?"

 “We must look into that. So, it is my humble appeal to our friends that we are not forcing them but only appealing to them to reverse their decisions,” she added.

Senide called upon the elders and NRM leaders of Dokolo District to talk to them to reconsider their decision.

“It is now the responsibility of you, the leaders. To help us talk to them. It’s in your hands because you are the ones heading this campaign,” she says.

The NRM director of communication, Emmanuel Dombo, called upon the people of Dokolo to work together and deliver the votes for the party’s candidate.

Independents speak out

Dr Lalam says she is defying the party to contest as an independent because the flag-bearer is not capable and strong enough to take the seat from the opposition.

“I cannot give up because I have mastered and learned our fallen mother`s (Ogwal) trick, and above all, she has been moving on the ground doing a lot of consultation,” she says.      

“I have the votes, I have the support and agenda the people have,” she added.

Amongi on the other hand, says as a member of the party, she maintains and honours the party but the contest is not all about the party but looking for a leader who can come and work for the people regardless of political, tribal and religious affiliation.

She says the late Cecilia Ogwal was elected not because she was from FDC, but her ability to lead regardless of where she belonged.

“That is the trust I am basing on and above all I am not defying because I am not fighting for the flag. The position is different from the flag. This is why we are calling upon the party structure to be fair and we see who wins,” she adds.

Arao says she has made up her mind to contest as an independent because she wants to unite the people of Dokolo.

She added that many political parties have come in and she was ready to work with them the way Cecilia Ogwal was doing.

Abang says she will tussle it out up to the end of the by-election.