Opposition dominate Acholi LC5 seats

Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Gulu District LC5 chairperson-elect, casts his vote at Lacor Hospital APM Polling Station in Gulu Municipality on Wednesday. PHOTO BY JOHN OKOT 

In Summary

Upper hand. Out of the seven districts, the ruling NRM party won in only Pader and Agago districts.

Acholi. The just concluded district LC5 chairperson elections in Acholi sub-region have seen majority of Opposition politicians defeat the ruling National Resistant Movement (NRM) party candidates.
Out of the seven districts that comprise Acholi, five Opposition candidates won the seats.
The Opposition defeated NRM candidates in Gulu, Nwoya, Amuru, Lamwo and Kitgum districts while the ruling party won in Pader and Agago districts.

Last week’s presidential and parliamentary elections also saw the Opposition candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye of the FDC, win with big margins, especially in Gulu where he defeated President Museveni of NRM with more than 17,203 votes.
Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the incumbent Gulu LC5, who stood under the FDC ticket, retained his seat after polling 41,359 votes against his closest rival Billy Graham Olanya (NRM) who polled 5,984 votes. Another candidate who competed in the race was Mr Wilfred Nyeko.

In his maiden speech before the press, Mr Mapenduzi congratulated his supporters for entrusting him with leadership.
“I couldn’t have been where I am now if I wasn’t hardworking and of course if it wasn’t for the trust of my people. My focus will be on education, improvement of infrastructure and working towards stopping land grabbing in the district,” he said.

Mr Mapenduzi has been voted thrice as the best district chairperson in the country in the local governments performance scorecard.
In Amuru, Mr Michael Lakony of FDC, beat his NRM rival Mr Godfrey Orach Otobi. Mr Lakony polled 14,353 votes against Orach’s 6,273.
In Nwoya, the incumbent LC5 chairperson, Mr Patrick Okello Oryema, who contested as an Independent, retained his seat after defeating his closest rival Innocent Komakech. Mr Oryema polled 5,675 votes while Mr Komakech got 3,938 votes.

In Kitgum, Mr Jackson Omona, an Independent candidate, defeated the incumbent, Mr Luka Nyeko of NRM,Mr Omona polled 18, 233 votes while the runner up Tony Blair Toolit (FDC) polled 4,742. Mr Nyeko came third with 3,126 votes. In Lamwo, Mr John Komakech Ogwok of FDC defeated the incumbent LC5 chairperson, Mr Mathew Akiya, to take the district’s top post. Mr Ogwok got 11,215 votes while Mr Akiya polled 10,336 votes. Another contestant in the race David Oola got 5,787 votes.

NRM WINNERS
In Pader, Mr Godfrey Oringa Largo of NRM, maintained the party’s dominance in the district after he defeated independent candidate John Richard Otema to take the LC5 chairperson seat. In Agago District, Mr Leonard Opiyo Ojok defeated FDC’s George Odong Otto. He polled 22,103 while Otto garnered 11,583 votes.

Reported by Julius Ocungi, Dan Komakech, Robert Owot & Daniel Cere

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