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The Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI), Lira branch has elected new officer bearers to steer fraternity for five years.

The election held on Wednesday, October 25, at Margarita Palace Hotel in Lira City, saw Dr. Morris Chris Ongom, the chief executive director of Global Forum for Development taking the mantle of chairperson replacing Deo Kibirige whose term ended years ago.

Ongom garnered 58 votes defeating Emmanuel Akeny, the chief executive director of Hill City College, one of the best schools in the City. Akeny gathered 30 votes.

Others elected include the vice chairperson, Fred Doi who is the regional manager, of Uganda Oil Seed Producer and Processor Association, Christine Awor, as secretary, Isaac Ogwal as coordinator and Johnson Ocol, the managing director of Days Inn Hotel, as treasurer. 

The election was presided over by the City commercial officer, Richard Okello Odyek together with Bosco Ogwang Edola, the regional director of UNCCI.

Ongom pledged to consolidate the historical business struggle and progress for the people in the sub-region to organize and protect their interests.

“I admire you (business community) because you built from nothing and today Lira has become an industrial city from a municipality,” he said.

“I want to champion the business community's agenda and if people come against us we shall stand to defend ourselves and if we don’t who shall do it for us,” he added.        

He added that he will also champion unity among the Chambers and business community then together they will introduce saving and investment funds for low-cost business communities in the City within a few years.

Ogwang Edola said he was humble because the last election was held in 2010 and they have been in office for 13 years which was abnormal.

“It is high time we change the leadership because, during our term, we faced several challenges but managed to sail through,” he said.

He added the leadership is coming at the right time when there are so many development partners such as the Northern Uganda Development Forum, Uganda Development Bank, and Bank of Uganda which have good offers for the business community in the sub-region.

Samson Opio, the regional coordinator of NUDF said they are set to promote the development of the sector based on key areas like agriculture and tourism.

He said they are doing a lot of linkages, financing, and marketing as well as technology and that among the top organizations they want to work with is UNCCI.