Sarah Aguti Nyangkori, a former parliamentary candidate for the Dokolo district woman legislator under the Uganda People's Congress (UPC), has been picked as the party’s flag-bearer for the byelection slated for March 21, 2024.

Nyangkori was endorsed at the Dokolo Catholic Parish grounds during the UPC district conference chaired by Angela Ocen Ogwal, after her two opponents, Anna Okwir and Josephine Acen Okullo, stepped down in her favour.

This brings to four, the number of political parties with official candidates tussling for the seat which fell vacant after the death of Cecilia Atim Ogwal.

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

Other hopefuls include Janet Rose Adongo Elau of the National Resistance Movement, Dr Rosemary Alwoc of the Forum for Democratic Change, and Harriet Ageno of the National Unity Platform.

Independent aspirants are Irene Amongi Ajwika, Arao Rebecca, Dr Grace Lalam Atine and Beatrice Abang, the chairperson of NRM in Dokolo.

Aguti contested in the 2021 elections and garnered 10,460 votes, Cecilia Ogwal 32,223 votes and Adongo of NRM 16,880.

Five drop interest  

By Monday, February, 19, the number of aspirants had shrunk from 13 to 8.

Among those who stepped down and gave leeway to flag-bearers are Lillian Auma, Judith Ayugi, Beatrice Akello, Okwir, and Acen.

Both Auma and Ayugi dropped their interest in favour of NRM`s Adongo, while Akello opened the door for Dr Alwoc, who is also the daughter of the late Cecilia Ogwal.

They said quitting the race doesn’t mean they are weak, but the duration is too short and they are preparing for a comeback in the 2026 general elections.   

Aguti lauded her colleagues for the decision saying it has given her an opportunity to prepare and serve the people of Dokolo better if given the opportunity.

She said the district is grappling with poor performance in primary schools, poor road networks, low health service delivery and the lack of a district hospital which needs urgent attention and a person to follow up.

Opponents speak out  

Aguti added that her opponents' stepping down, sends a clear indication that there is trust in her and she will be able to deliver to the expectations of the people of Dokolo.

Acen said she showed interest in the seat but dropped the idea because of the short time to campaign and also for the unity of UPC.

“We are for one course. UPC remains the party for the people and in the Lango sub-region, it is the foundation and also a mother of many political parties in this country,” she said.

She added that she realised that Aguti has been in the game since 2016 and she made a decision to reconsider and later reversed it immediately.

“I have not backed off because I cannot manage, but, I think and believe that unity is key in-house as a party member. If we have unity, we will grow stronger,” she added.

She said UPC’s must take the seat to increase their number in Parliament.

Okwir on the other hand said she had shown interest in contesting but they had dialogued among themselves and agreed to quit the race since the party is bigger than her.

“I decided to step down and wait for 2026 because I will be prepared,” she said, adding that as a mother, she looks at things with humility and everybody is like a child.

“Now that we have given her the opportunity and the space, it means next time, come back and be very ready to contest in 2026,” she added.

Okwir asked the people of Dokolo to be more focused and vote carefully in the coming by-election since it will determine their future.