Seven councillors vie for Pader district speaker seat

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At least seven of the 47 newly elected district councillors in Pader district have expressed interest in contesting for the position of district speaker ahead of the upcoming council sitting scheduled for May 12, 2026.

In addition, two councillors from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), have expressed interest in the position of deputy speaker.

Of the seven contenders, five are members of the NRM, one represents the Democratic Party (DP), and one is running as an independent candidate.

The development emerged during a recent meeting convened by the LC5 chairperson-elect Alfred Akena, together with the woman MP-elect Lowila Oketayot.

The meeting was aimed at enabling newly elected councillors to familiarise themselves with one another.

Pader district has 47 LC5 district councillors, of whom 42 are affiliated with the NRM, four are independents leaning towards the ruling party, and one represents DP, underscoring the NRM’s dominance in the district council.

The election of the district speaker and deputy speaker is guided by the Local Governments Act Cap 243, which provides that both positions are filled through a secret ballot by council members.

A candidate must secure more than 50 percent of the votes to be declared the winner. If no candidate attains this threshold, a run-off election is conducted between the two candidates with the highest number of votes.

The election will be presided over by a Chief Magistrate during the first sitting of the newly constituted council.

The district speaker heads the legislative arm of the district and is responsible for presiding over council meetings, maintaining order, enforcing procedures, and ensuring that council business is conducted in accordance with the law.

The office also plays a key role in promoting accountability and linking the council to the district executive.

Those vying for the Speaker’s position include Richard Olal Ojok (NRM) of Ogom subcounty, Mugisha John Chris Anywar (NRM) of Ajan subcounty, Samuel Ojok Okwera (NRM), the current deputy speaker from Pajule town council, Philip Pa Adonga (Independent), a workers’ representative and inaugural speaker of Pader, Balex Okello (DP) of Pajule town council, Walter Okello Rale (NRM) of Pader town council, and Justin Ocen (NRM), the current Vice LC5 chairperson and former Speaker.

Meanwhile, Catherine Apiyo (NRM), the female youth councillor, and Gladys Okane (NRM), representing Puranga and Te-nam subcounties, have expressed interest in the deputy speaker position.

Lowila, who also serves as the district NRM chairperson, said efforts are underway to guide candidates towards consensus-building to avoid divisions within the council.

“We have several district councillors who have expressed interest in becoming the district speaker. A while ago, we held a meeting where we encouraged them to discuss and reach an agreement among themselves about a preferred candidate in order to avoid a formal election. However, if they are unable to agree by the time of the election and it appears that they have not reached a consensus, we will be concerned and may need to hold primaries.," Lowila told New Vision in an interview.

"Additionally, for every new speaker, we will also need to elect a candidate for the position of Deputy Speaker, representing the NRM. These two individuals will be the ones to stand for election in the General Council on the day of the swearing-in,” she added. 

Akena emphasised that his incoming administration would prioritise unity, accountability, and transparency. He warned that disunity among leaders could derail progress and negatively affect service delivery in the district.

He also criticised the outgoing leadership, accusing it of fostering divisions that have hindered development in Pader district.