NRM sweeps Acholi grassroot elections

Mar 23, 2006

Contrary to common perception that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) was decimated from Acholi during the recent elections, the political organisation may have the last laugh in the region in the long run.

Contrary to common perception that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) was decimated from Acholi during the recent elections, the political organisation may have the last laugh in the region in the long run. Electoral figures from the three Acholi districts of Gulu, Kitgum and Pader show that NRM did handsomely well in the lower elections, despite scoring lowly in the presidential and parliamentary polls. The results show that the NRM now has a substantial number of foot soldiers — no pun meant — in Acholi, who captured LC3 chairmanships plus LC5 councillorships in the three districts.

Kitgum district
The NRM’s best performance was in Kitgum. The organisation’s seven LC3 chairman seats out of the 19 competed for was the highest for any single political group. The NRM beat FDC to second position. The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) picked only two seats, while the Democratic Party (DP) got none.
The NRM LC3 chairmen winners in Kitgum were: Caeser Opoka (Labongo Amida sub-county), Peter Oola Nyeko P’Akena (Labongo Akwang sub-county), Robert Ochan (Nam Okora sub-county), James Hosbon Oyet (Padibe West), Ernest Oling (Lukung sub-county), J. S Patrick Olal (Palabek) and Vincent Ocek Ido (Palabek Ogili).
In the contest for LC5 councillors, the NRM scored a landslide in Kitgum, garnering 19 seats. The victors were: Mrs. Jan Ocen(Matidi), Mrs. Vilder Obote (Labongo Amida), Bosco Ocola (Labongo Akwang), Alfred Okwera (Omia Anyima), Mrs. Rose Lakot Ochaya (Women Councillor Omia Anyima), Nyero Anthony Okwera (Nam Okora), Nathalia Okot (Women Councillor Orom), Emmanuel Owot Ongom (Agoro), Mathew Okia Ochen (Madi Opei) and Peter Lamoro Alli (Padibe).
Other NRM LC5 councillor winners in Kitgum were: Molly Amony (Women Councillor Padibe East), Nicholas Okwir (Paluga), Mark Okeny (Padibe West), Ben Okeny Bukenya (Lukung), Florence Atti (Women Councillor Lukung), Richard Oyat Oloya (Palabek), Charles Odong Kasozi (Palabek Kal), Rose Oryem (Palabek Kal PWD) and Annet Atim (Palabek Kal Youth).

Pader district

Similarly in Pader, the NRM did well securing 11 LC3 chairman seats and two more NRM-leaning victors emerged as Independents. The Pader LC3 chairman NRM winners were: Alfred Omona Lokilamoi (Pajule), Phillip Ojok (Awere), Paul Otto Komakech (Lapul), Ronald Okot Omara (Adilang), Sirino Atukol (Lapono), Nineka Okidi (Lira Palwo), Milton Ali Obote (Cokola), Joseph Ochieng Awany (Omot), Augustine Oryem (Parabongo), Quinto Labeja (Patongo) and Walter Odong Omony (Wol). The two NRM-leaning Independents were: Francis Okoya (Atanga) and Welborn Otto (Laguti).
The list of NRM LC5 councillor winners in Pader was equally long. By winning 16 out of the 29 seats, the NRM scored over 50 per cent. The NRM winners were: Alfred Akena (Puranga), Charles Ray Okwir ( Pader sub-county), Quinto Otika Labeja (Pader Town Council), Sam Santo Ongom (Adilang), Gaudensio ( Patongo), Joel Olal (Lapono), Morris Ochan (Wol), John C. Oweka (Omot), Francis Anywar (Lokole), Florence Lamunu (Lira Paluo), Lilly Apio Odongkara (Lokole/Patongo), Cicilia Opoka Olal (Omot), Rose Akello (Acholi Bur), Florence Lakot Odera (Awere/Puranga), Leonard Abola Okello (Padibe Town Council/Pader Sub-county) and Rose Latoo Mwaka (Pajule/Lapul).

Gulu district
Meanwhile, though, it did not do as well as in Kitgum and Pader, the NRM did not emerge empty-handed in Gulu too. For LC3 chairmen, the NRM secured two seats, plus two Independents who had lost out in the organisation’s primaries.
The winners were: Ojera Christopher (Pabbo), Milton Munu (Lakwana) and pro-NRM Independents Mathew Olobo Lagaro (Odek)—LRA leader Joseph Kony’s birth place—and David Ngole (Palaro).
As for LC5 councillors, though NRM got only three, they were remarkably unopposed. These were: Paul Kerobino Ojok (Bobi), Janet Otto (PWDs councillor) and Joyce Reina Alima (Female Youth Councillor). And of course, the NRM will not be totally out of the Acholi Parliamentary Group, come the Eighth Parliament. Renown engineer Hillary Onek retained his Lamwo County (Kitgum) seat. The NRM could have got a worthier lone representative in Parliament from Acholi sub-region.
Ends

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});