Lamwo executive appointments halted after council rejects vice chairperson

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The newly sworn-in Lamwo LC5 chairperson, Sisto Oyet Ocen, failed to constitute his executive during the district’s first council sitting after a bitterly contested speakership election split councillors into rival camps.

The political standoff exposed deep divisions within the district council, with tensions escalating after the race for speaker ended in dramatic scenes and accusations of political manoeuvring.

Lamwo district has 42 councillors, including the LC5 chairperson.

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) fronted Doris Abalo, the female councillor representing Padibe East and Katum subcounties, for the position of speaker, with Bosco Odoki endorsed for deputy speaker.

However, the contest took a dramatic turn when Vincent Ouma, the district workers’ representative and also an NRM member, entered the race with backing from a significant section of councillors.

During the first round of voting on May 22, 2026, both Abalo and Ouma secured 21 votes each, forcing the presiding chief magistrate from Kitgum Magisterial Area to order a re-run.

Sources within the council alleged that Ocen later lobbied two councillors to back Abalo ahead of the second vote.

In the re-run, Abalo emerged victorious with 22 votes against Ouma’s 20, securing the speakership. Shortly afterwards, Odoki, an ally of Abalo, was elected deputy speaker in another closely watched vote.

The outcome reportedly angered councillors aligned to Ouma, setting the stage for further confrontation during the formation of the district executive.

Trouble resurfaced when Ocen nominated David Odongmadiki, the former district vice-chairperson and councillor for Palabek Kal subcounty, to retain his position in the new administration.

The nomination immediately faced resistance from councillors sympathetic to Ouma.

Speaker Abalo subsequently ordered a vote to determine whether Odongmadiki could secure the mandatory two-thirds approval required by law. However, the nominee failed to attain the required 26 votes.

The rejection forced Ocen to suspend the appointment process for the remaining members of his executive committee, effectively leaving the district leadership incomplete.

Speaking during an interview with New Vision, Ocen blamed the impasse on inexperience among newly elected councillors.

He said some members had not yet undergone induction and were reluctant to support the nominations without providing clear reasons.

Ocen warned that the failure to fully constitute the district executive was already affecting service delivery and limiting the administration’s ability to address urgent district matters.

The LC5 chairperson said he would consult the chief administrative officer to convene an emergency council sitting, where he intends to re-table the names of his proposed vice-chairperson and executive secretaries for approval.

Meanwhile, public policy analyst Walter Akena said Section 18(1) of the Local Government Act, Cap 138, requires district chairpersons to nominate a vice chairperson from among elected councillors, subject to approval by two-thirds of the council.

Akena explained that objections to a nominee should only arise from legitimate concerns such as lack of qualifications or proven criminal records.

He further argued that if councillors repeatedly reject a nominee without lawful justification, the district chairperson may resubmit the same names up to three times, after which the appointments could still stand even without council endorsement.

According to Akena, the law does not permit prolonged delays in constituting a district executive beyond three months after the first council sitting.

He warned that councillors opposing nominations without substantive evidence risk violating their constitutional oath to uphold and defend the laws of Uganda.