The Dokolo by-election, scheduled for March 21st, is witnessing a significant turn of events as one of the aspirants, Dr. Anne Lalam, has made a surprising decision to step down in favor of the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) flag bearer, Janet Elau. This move comes just ahead of President Yoweri Museveni’s anticipated visit to the Dokolo district tomorrow, March 19th, 2024.
Dr. Lalam, who was jubilant following her nomination for the parliamentary seat on March 12th, had been running as an independent candidate but chose to withdraw from the race at this critical juncture.
President Museveni’s visit to Dokolo aims to rally support for the NRM and its flag bearer. As the Chairman of the party, his endorsement carries significant weight among party loyalists. With just days left in the campaign, opposition candidates will be making their final efforts to mobilize support for their respective contenders.
The Dokolo woman district parliamentary seat became vacant following the untimely passing of Cecilia Ogwal last month. The President of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Patrick Oboi Amuriat, campaigned on March 14th for their candidate, Dr. Rosemary Alwoc Ogwal, who also happens to be the daughter of the late Cecilia Ogwal.
Amuriat expressed his support for Dr. Ogwal and voiced his optimism that the by-election will be conducted freely and fairly, without any external interference.
Jimmy Akena, the President of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) Party, accompanied his party’s candidate, Sarah Aguti Nyangkori, during the nomination process. Akena assured their supporters of a resounding victory, irrespective of any potential interference, citing the lessons learned from the Oyam by-election.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party, on February 13th, 2024, invited interested members to contest for the seat. However, by the time of the nomination period, no one from the party had shown interest.
As the Dokolo by-election reaches its climax, supporters and political enthusiasts eagerly await the announcement of the next Member of Parliament for the district. The race is tightly contested, and all eyes are on the candidates jostling for victory in this crucial electoral battle.
