By Barbara Among,
Bill Oketch and Patrick Okino

THE Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) bigwigs have lost in the ongoing Lango sub-region party primaries that kicked off on Monday.

Among the losers is incumbent MP for Kwania county Prof. Willy Anok Bongo. Anok lost to new comer Geoffrey Alex Ogwal who polled 527 votes against his 233 votes.

The head of the human rights desk, Aliro Omara, polled 221, against Dr. Jacinto Ogwang’s 515 votes in Otuke county. Ogwang will face former UPC diehard Omara Atubo, who crossed to NRM.

The party’s coordinator for northern Uganda, Paul Ogwal Olule, lost to Alex Oremo for the Lira district chairman seat. Oremo got 2,080 votes against Ogwal’s 316 votes.

Former Lira district chairman Dan Okello lost to David Obong for Erute North constituency. Obong won with 422 votes.

The Lira municipality mayor, Peter Guduzu Owiny, lost to Michel Ogwal. Ogwal polled 354 votes, while Owiny got 92 votes.

The party is conducting its primaries by regions. On Monday, it conducted elections in Lango sub-region, where it elected flag-bearers from the local council level to Members of Parliament.

Party’s deputy secretary general Emmanuel Ofumbi said the elections were free and fair.

By press time yesterday, it was conducting elections in Teso and Karamoja sub-region. In early October, the party will proceed to the West Nile region, eastern and conclude with western Uganda. The party plans to conclude its elections in October.

Lira MP Jimmy Akena was unopposed, while former Lira Woman MP Margaret Ateng bounced back after her opponent, Rebecca Otengo, crossed to the NRM.

Erute South MP John Odit and MP Benson Obua Ogwal of Moroto county retained their seats.

In Apac district, Maruzi county elected Maxwel Akora as its flag-bearer for the parliamentary seat. He will tussle it out with the incumbent MP, David Ebong, who recently crossed to the NRM. Lucy Ajok went through as the district Woman MP candidate.

Bob Okai was elected as the party’s LC5 flag-bearer.

In Dokolo district, Nelson Okolamong sailed through unopposed as parliamentary flag-bearer for Dokolo county, to face the incumbent, Felix Okot Ogong, who has carried the NRM flag in the region since 2001.

Salummy Ejang was endorsed unopposed for the seat of Dokolo Woman MP. She will face Cecilia Ogwal, a former UPC stalwart, who is seeking nomination as an FDC candidate.

Peter Ogwang was endorsed unopposed to contest for the Dokolo district chairmship. He will tussle it out with incumbent chairman Okello Okello, who also joined FDC.

In Amolatar district, Nelson Chong was elected as parliamentary flag-bearer. He will face incumbent MP Ojok B’leo, who picked nomination forms for the FDC primaries.

Sophia Angu was unopposed as Wom an MP but will face incumbent Caroline Oka, who crossed to the ruling NRM.

Joel Odong was endorsed for district chairman position.

The former Lord’s Resistance Army peace talks delegate and Joseph Kony’s lawyer, Christopher Odong Ayena, was elected as Oyam North parliamentary flag-bearer. He will face former UPC stalwart Ben Wacha, who is seeking the FDC ticket.

In Otuke district, Susan Abeja polled 350 votes to pass as the Woman MP flag-bearer. Her opponent Jane Obeny polled 176 votes.

Donald Olet retained the party flag for Otuke LC5.

Oyam voted for Nelson Adea as district chairman candidate and Santa Ogwang as Woman MP flag-bearer.

David Kennedy was chosen to battle for the Alebtong district parliamentary seat and Cecilia Agang for Woman MP.

Ajuri county in Alebtong elected Martin Egum as parliamentary flag-bearer unopposed. He will face the NRM’s Hamson Obua.

In the newly-created Kole district, UPC mobiliser Fred Ebil was voted as the MP Kole county flag-bearer. The incumbent, John Ogwang, did not contest. Ruth Achan was selected to vie for Woman MP and Peter Ocen for district chairman.

The candidate for Kole LC5 is Peter Ocen, who beat Lameck Ogwal, the husband to MP Cecilia Ogwal.

Elections did not take place in the hotly-contested consistency of Oyam South, where the incumbent Isha Otto, is facing Apac Woman MP Betty Amongi. Otto filed a case, asking court to stop Amongi from contesting, saying she abandoned the party in the 2006 election and campaigned as an independent.