38 candidates nominated for Gulu City mayoral and council seats

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A total of 38 candidates have been nominated for various positions in Gulu City.

City Mayoral Candidates nominated include Marc Anthony Obonyo (Independent), Jonathan Okello (NUP), Julius Labeja Aciro (Independent), while the incumbent Alfred Okwonga (NRM) and Denis Okello Oweka (Independent) were nominated later Friday.

Candidates intending to contest for division mayor and councillor positions were advised to submit their nomination files for verification on Saturday and Sunday.

Notably, Patrick Okello (Okello Cukari), aspiring for division mayor of Bardege-Layibi, submitted his documents early to avoid delays, with his official nomination scheduled for next week.

Mike Juuko, the Gulu City Registrar, confirmed that no anomalies were observed during the three-day nomination exercise.

The Electoral Commission issued a strict warning against any pre-campaign activities before official communication in November, warning that violators may face disqualification.

Five aspirants for the Gulu District chairperson’s seat were also duly nominated ahead of the 2026 general elections.

The nominated candidates for the upcoming elections include Christopher Opiyo Ateker (NRM), the incumbent chairperson, and Geoffrey Odong Ojibu (Independent), both of whom were nominated on the first day of the nomination exercise. On the second day, Lillian Stella Lalam (FDC) and Justine Simpleman Obol were nominated, while Sebastian Okello Ogoni (NUP) was nominated on Friday.

For the Councillor Five position, a total of 70 candidates from 11 sub-counties and Awach Town Council were nominated in the first two days. According to Kimboywa Arumus, the Gulu District Electoral Commission Registrar, more district councillors submitted their nominations before the exercise closed on Friday.

In Nwoya District, only two aspirants for the chairperson’s seat had been duly nominated by Friday morning.

The candidates are Patrick Okello Oryema (NRM), nominated on Day 1, and Wilfred Nyeko (DP), nominated on Day three.

Oryema, the former district chairperson, contested for Nwoya County Member of Parliament on the FDC ticket in 2021 and lost to incumbent Tony Awany (NRM).

After five years out of office, Oryema crossed to the NRM party, where he secured the party flag in the recent primaries.

Meanwhile, Tony Okello, the incumbent district council speaker and Councillor V for Koch Lii sub-county, had initially vowed to contest as an Independent against Oryema after losing to him in the NRM primaries. However, he made a U-turn and instead sought nomination for Councillor V in Koch Lii sub-county.

According to Daniel Baguma, the Nwoya District Electoral Commission Registrar, only two candidates have been nominated for the district chairperson’s seat.

However, for the sub-counties and town councils, each constituency has between four and seven aspirants, while more were still expected to come forward by press time.

Baguma confirmed that a total of 87 aspirants have so far been duly nominated for Councillor positions across the district’s eight sub-counties and three town councils.

Two candidates were successfully nominated to contest for the Omoro District chairperson’s seat.

The nominees are Douglas Peter Okello Okao of the NRM, who is also the incumbent district chairman, and Andrew Okot, popularly known as Obibi, running as an Independent.

Okot had earlier been declared the NRM party flag bearer in the race, but the party’s election tribunal later overturned the decision and confirmed Okao as the official flag bearer.

Omoro District Returning Officer Paddy Atuha told Radio Rupiny that the nomination exercise proceeded without any challenges.

Meanwhile, in Amuru District, three candidates had so far been nominated for the chairperson’s position. They are Denis Atwon Opiyo (Independent), Christopher Odongkara (NRM), and Denis Rom (FDC).

The trio is part of a group of ten individuals who had picked nomination forms for the race, although two candidates have since withdrawn.

By press time, Independent candidates Tonny Kilama and Richard Odokonyero were still awaiting nomination.