Saleh rallies Acholi support for ministers facing tough parliamentary races

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KITGUM – With only days remaining before Uganda’s pivotal general elections, General Salim Saleh, the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, has appealed to the Acholi community to rally behind incumbent ministers contesting for parliamentary seats, emphasising the importance of maintaining their presence in government.

Saleh appealed during a high-level meeting held at Kitgum Bomah Hotel on January 8, 2026, which brought together security officials, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), their deputies, and assistants.

The meeting aimed to develop a co-ordinated strategy to support ministers facing stiff competition in their constituencies ahead of the January 15 polls.

Saleh’s message was delivered by his principal assistant and presidential mobilizer for Northern Uganda, Professor Ogenga Otunnu.

Otunnu told the gathering that Saleh had deployed him to Pitch Camp in East Acholi—covering the greater Kitgum area—to spearhead strategic mobilisation efforts for four key cabinet ministers whose parliamentary bids are considered critical to the future composition of government.

Acholi region has five ministers seeking election as Members of Parliament. These, include 

• Hillary Onek Obalker (state disaster preparedness and refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister) is contesting for the Plabek County seat in Lamwo District.
• Foreign affairs state minister Henry Okello Oryem is contesting for the Chua East County seat in Kitgum district.
• Lillian Aber, State Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, contesting for the Kitgum District Woman MP seat.
• Beatrice Atim Anywar, Minister of State for Water and Environment, contesting for the Kitgum Municipality MP seat.
• Beatrice Akello Akori, State Minister for Economic Monitoring in the Office of the President, also contesting in the region.
• While the four ministers hail from East Acholi, justice minister Norbert Mao represents West Acholi and is contesting for the Laroo–Pece Division parliamentary seat in Gulu city.

Otunnu underscored the importance of retaining Acholi leaders in cabinet, arguing that their presence reflects the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government’s recognition of the region and ensures effective advocacy for Acholi interests at the highest levels of decision-making.

“Cabinet representation is crucial because it provides direct access to government resources and policy influence,” Otunnu said, adding that President Museveni’s long-standing political dominance is partly due to his reliance on leaders with strong grassroots support, loyalty to the party, regional balance, historical ties, and cooperation with the presidency.

He warned that voting out experienced Acholi ministers could weaken the region’s leverage in government, noting that the ministers have demonstrated competence over time.

Highlighting Oryem, Otunnu credited him with facilitating high-level engagements between President Museveni and international visitors, arguing that such diplomatic connections merit voter support.

Otunnu also said Mao’s performance in the election would be a key test of his political strength in Acholi, noting that a defeat could signal a decline in his influence amid heightened competition.

He further pointed to challenges facing several ministers, including Lillian Aber, who is contesting against NRM-leaning opposition candidate Margaret Lamwaka Odwar, the incumbent MP for Chua East.

Anywar is also facing a tough race for the Kitgum Municipality seat against incumbent Denis Onekalit Denis Amere of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Otunnu recalled that Atim narrowly lost to Amere in the 2021 elections and noted Amere’s popularity, partly stemming from his background as a former guild president at Makerere University.

In a recent interview with New Vision Online, Atim claimed that the 2021 election was marred by rigging and said her subsequent appointment as minister was President Museveni’s acknowledgement of the alleged irregularities.

Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, the RDC whip for Acholi, urged voters to reflect carefully on their choices, citing the past electoral defeat of former Northern Uganda Minister Betty Bigombe in Gulu, which left the area without cabinet representation for years. He noted that West Acholi had similarly lacked a minister until Mao’s recent appointment.

The meeting resolved that RDCs would spearhead voter mobilisation efforts, focusing on civic education to reduce invalid votes. They also committed to facilitating transportation for vulnerable voters—including pregnant women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly—to ensure access to polling stations.

Organisers said the initiative is intended to address persistently low voter turnout in the Acholi sub-region.

The Electoral Commission has designated January 15, 2026, as polling day, when Ugandans will vote for the president and directly elected Members of Parliament, marking a critical moment in the country’s democratic process.