MP Akena faces stiff competition in Lira city

The Government on July 1 elevated Lira municipality to city status, creating more parliamentary seats for political players.

Under the new arrangement, four former divisions that made up Lira municipality were merged, and four other neighbouring sub-counties added to it to create Lira City East and West divisions.

Lira City East comprises former Central, Railways divisions, Ngetta, Ewal and Adekokwok sub-counties. Lira City West comprises former Adyel, Ojwina divisions and Lira sub-county.

The two city divisions, therefore, create opportunity for two new parliamentary constituencies and a vacancy for the city Woman MP.

Lira Municipality MP Jimmy Akena by location of his residence and polling station in Senior Quarters falls in Lira City East constituency.

Four parliamentary candidates are vying to wrestle the seat from Uganda People's Congress (UPC) flag-bearer Akena.

They include Apollo Onyango of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), James Ocen (independent), Patrick Akena (independent) and Patrick Aroma (independent).

Issues affecting Lira East Division

Residents say their main concerns are the bad roads and unemployment.

Most voters complain that almost all roads within the city division are in bad state.

The only good ones are those that were worked on under Uganda Support to Municipality Infrastructure Development (USMID) project.

The rest of the roads are characterised by patches of worn out tarmac and huge potholes.

Residents speak out

Moses Opio, a resident of Rainbow village, Obanga Pewany ward in Lira City East, says he expects the next MP to lobby for the road projects.

"The new MP should ensure there are good roads in place to ease movement within the city," Opio says.

Margaret Otile, a vendor at Lira Main Market, says she expects to get new MPs in both Lira City West and Lira City Woman MP because the MPs who have been in Parliament for over 10 years are poor at lobbying.

"They (MPs) only depend on development projects brought by the Government, which they give as their accountability to the voters," Otile says.

What onyango says?

Onyango says he decided to contest after realising that there has been a leadership gap in Lira Municipality for many years.

He adds that his focus will be on giving proper representation for the people of Lira City in Parliament and will ensure that there is better infrastructure in the area.

Onyango, an entrepreneur with a master's degree in business administration, notes that he will work towards developing Lira city into an industrial hub.

"As an entrepreneur, I will develop Lira city into a commercial hub that can attract investors," he says.

Akena's achievements

Akena says his major priority when he joined politics 15 years ago, has been peace because without peace no area can develop.

"My major issue was peace, which I have been part of right from the time of Juba peace talks. I engaged the Government at every level, insisting that there must be peace in the region, and it is this peace that led to the growth of Lira," Akena says.

Akena says even Lira Main Market that the Government built in the city centre at a cost of sh28b as well as USMID roads were possible because of his engagement with the Government.

Empowering the youth and women through supporting their business ventures, he noted, is another area he has worked on.

Akena is also popular among bodaboda riders in Lira for his motorcycle project, where he has offered himself as guarantee for everyone who got a motorcycle from PostBank.

Akena says he did this to reduce unemployment and poverty among the youth.

He also says another area of success is education because Lira Municipality is doing better than schools outside the municipality.

James Ocen

A medic by profession, Ocen owns Gift Life Health Centre, a private facility in Lira city, which he says has been giving free services, including cervical cancer check-ups and delivery. 

"My intention was to help poor people, especially women to access medical services, but at the same time giving opportunity for poor but capable children to access education," Ocen says.

Patrick Akena

A former councillor representing Myene sub-county at Oyam district, Patrick Akena wants to unseat his namesake in this coming parliamentary election.

He cited poor representation in Parliament, high level of poverty among the locals, bad road network and health and education services as some of the factors that have motivated him to contest.

"Lira City East cannot continue having an MP who does not speak in Parliament. Lira was heard in Parliament only during the time when Cecilia Ogwal was representing the area," Akena says.

Patrick Aroma

Aroma, an independent, who hails from Bar ward, says what compelled him to contest is to provide effective representation, which he says is lacking.

Creation of jobs for the young people, revival of co-operative societies and pushing for national reconciliation are some of his other dreams for Lira City.