Atul faces off with nine candidates to retain his mayoral seat

__________________

Lira City Mayor Sam Atul is facing stiff competition from eight other candidates as he seeks to retain his seat in the 2026 general elections.

Atul, who is contesting on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, is up against a diverse field that includes a current councillor, Sara Awor Angweri, the only female candidate in the race. The contest has attracted nine candidates in total, making it one of the most competitive mayoral races in Lira City.

Among the contenders is former Lira Municipality Mayor Mike Ogwang Olwa of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), whom Atul defeated in the 2021 General Elections. Others include Patrick Ogwang of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Fred Obote of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), and Romano Okello, who is contesting as an Independent.

The race also features the current Lira City East Division Chairperson/Mayor, George Okello Ayo, alongside Patrick Opige, an Independent candidate, and Henry Opio Ongenyi, who is also running as an Independent after losing to Atul in the NRM primaries.

Although nine candidates are in the race, Atul of NRM, Olwa of UPC, and Independent candidate Awor are the most visible and active on the ground. They are followed by NUP’s Ogwang, FDC’s Obote, and Independent candidate Ayo.

The incumbent mayor remains confident of victory, citing what he describes as strong achievements during his current term. “My leadership restored stability in managing Lira City, bridging the gap between technical staff and politicians, which helped enhance revenue collection. We were able to buy road equipment like grader and a roller with locally generated revenue,” Atul explained.

He added that with support from the central government, the City Council established two Health Centre IIIs and upgraded two existing HCIIIs to HCIVs in the Ober and Ongica areas. In the education sector, Atul said classrooms were constructed in eight schools within the annexed sub-counties and the former municipality.

Atul also pointed to the recovery of public land, including UMA grounds, the Mayor’s Garden and abattoir land, from individuals who had allegedly acquired ownership fraudulently. He said more recoveries are ongoing with support from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit. If re-elected, Atul pledged to improve road maintenance, saying that “by the middle of the second term, the issue of bad roads will be history,” alongside improving education, health service delivery and strengthening government programmes aimed at eradicating poverty.

Awor, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Makerere University, is known as one of the most vocal members of the Lira City Council, representing workers. During her five years as a female workers’ councillor, she gained popularity for raising issues related to corruption, human rights and governance. If elected mayor, Awor promises to lobby for the establishment of an International Airport and an industrial park in Lira City to address youth unemployment.

Patrick Ogwang holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management. With about 20 years of experience working with NGOs in Northern and Eastern Uganda, he pledged to protect public assets such as roads and children’s parks built using borrowed government funds. He also plans to expand piped water and electricity coverage, improve waste management, fill staffing gaps in the health sector, promote a green city, provide soft loans to city dwellers, and establish satellite markets to decongest the central market.

George Okello Ayo holds a Master’s degree in Education Management and Planning and has over 20 years of political experience. He served as a district councillor, later as Lira District Vice LCV for five years, before being elected Lira East Division mayor.

 His priorities include garbage management, improving school performance through better teacher accommodation, upgrading health facilities and ensuring a constant supply of medicines and adequate staffing.

Ogwang Olwa, a businessman in Lira City, holds diplomas in Business Accounting and Public Administration and Management. He served as Lira Municipality Mayor from 2016 to 2021. His campaign promises include tarmacking major city roads, improving garbage management, coordinating the business community, and pushing for the establishment of an industrial park to attract investors.

Fred Obote, a Master’s degree holder in Public Procurement and Management, said if elected mayor, he would prioritise garbage management, which he argues has “defeated all the previous mayors of Lira Municipality, including the current one.”