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The National Resistance Movement candidate for the Dokolo district woman Member of Parliament byelection, Adongo Janet Rose Elau, has called upon the people to exercise their rights and vote for her in the polls scheduled for March 21, 2024.

Addressing residents of Alyecjuk in Agwata Town Council, Dokolo district on the last lap of her campaign on Monday, March 18, she said if given the opportunity, her priority would be to establish skilling centres for school dropouts, lobby for more funds for youth projects, enhance women`s funds and upgrade Dokolo Health Centre.

Adongo campaigning at Alyecjuk in Dokolo district on March 18. (Credit: Patrick Okino)

Only six candidates have remained in the race to replace Cecilia Atim Ogwal who passed away on January 18, 2024, at a hospital in India.

They include Sarah Aguti Nyakori of the Uganda People's Congress, Adongo of NRM, Dr Rosemary Alwoc of the Forum for Democratic Change, Harriet Ageno of the National Unity Platform as well as Dr Esther Akullo Obot and Rebecca Arao, both independent candidates.

Dr Grace Hanna Lalam, an NRM-leaning independent, has stepped down in favour of Adongo’s candidacy according to the party`s director of mobilisation, Rosemary Sennide.

According to sources, Dr Lalam was persuaded by Uganda’s High Commissioner to South Africa Paul Amoru Omiat, NRM secretary general Richard Todwong and Dokolo South MP Felix Okot Ogong to pave the way for Adongo.

Adongo said NRM is strong, tested, and not ready to relinquish power, but the pledges to continue providing services to the population.

“It is time for you to vote wisely. Don’t vote for money or salt but for a person who is ready to link up with the government in power to bring services nearer to the people of Dokolo,” she added.

Adongo added that the district has no hospital and her mandate if given the opportunity, is to inform the government on the challenges the people are facing so that the facility is upgraded to a hospital.

MP Okot Ogong highlighted granting Dokolo County district status in 2016, upgrading of Soroti-Dokolo-Lira road to tarmac, and the splitting of the district into two constituencies (Dokolo South and North) among others, as some of the achievements so far done by the NRM party.

He added that President Yoweri Museveni is still around and instead of rebelling against him by voting the opposition in the byelection, they should give opportunity to NRM.

“What the people of Dokolo want is peace, security and development and the only person who can deliver this is the NRM government,” he says.

Sennide said they are prepared as a party and are ready to win the election.

She added that based on what they have done so far within these five days, they have seen a lot of support and their candidate will win the election.

On Dr Lalam’s decision to step aside, Sennide said they have all the available information and they are waiting for more developments.

“We have heard that one of them wanted to get out of the race but we are still waiting,” she added.

“We have all along tried to talk to them because when they love NRM, then they should not divide the party but still we are waiting for them,” she told the media in Dokolo town.

Several attempts to seek get a comment from Dr Lalam were futile as her phone was unreachable.