Currently;
- Office of the National Chairman (ONC) is taking charge of recruiting 2 people per village across the country as vote protectors for President Museveni in 2026.
- In Lango sub-region, ONC coordinator, Prossy Langol says they have gone too far with the identification and mobilisation of vote protectors.
Lira | The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and ONC Lango team appear to be aiming to win the entire Lango sub-region in the 2026 general election. Both believe they can seize sub-counties and districts currently under UPC control.
They believe they can achieve this because of their strong party structures, commitment to delivering on their manifesto, and promises to Lango, among other things.
Lango “was UPC” for many years until political trends changed. The ruling government used “things in their possession to entice, recruit, and exert control over some opposition key figures in the sub-region.”
In terms of political representation, “these figures” wooed by the NRM won parliamentary seats as well as district council positions. Some became ministers, while others continue to serve in various capacities, among other opportunities.
With UPC and NRM looking likely to clash in Lango in 2026, tndNews’ Milton Emmy Akwam spoke with their key figures about what they expect to happen and why one will lack dominance over the other.
Jacob Ocen, NRM spokesperson for Lira City, stated, “We are still busy implementing our manifesto for 2021-2026, and one of the key projects in Lango is 80 percent complete. When you look at Rwekunye-Apac-Masindi Port Road, the work is ongoing. When you look at Kamdini Road from Dokolo, it is nearly finished.
“When you look at peace and stability in the North and Lango, it is quite okay, and the conducive environment ensures that everyone planning to engage in income-generating activities can succeed. When it comes to education, there are schools in every parish in Lango, as well as health center IIIs and IIs; we will deal with a few challenges.
“But, in general, the political dynamic in Lango – looking at the by-elections we had and were won by the UPC party, most of us in NRM look at national politics because the UPC only does regional politics; they are not beyond the Lango sub-region. Amidst that, you know it was hard for NRM to send a good number of MPs to parliament from Lango because of UPC.
“As I speak, an NRM member is the LC5 chairman of Oyam, which has never happened before; an NRM member is the LC5 chairman of Lira district, which has never happened before; and the NRM is leading Lira City Council in Sam Atul as Mayor despite running on an independent ticket – including a woman Member of Parliament from Lira district, these positions used to be for UPC.
“Looking at all of the above, it is clear that political trends in Lango have shifted, and that morale or interest in supporting the UPC and other political parties opposing the government has waned because they are not presenting programs with answers or solutions to the community or the Ugandan population. This makes us (NRM) at the higher stage, and i would like to say this: the NRM is still very strong in Lango and we continue to be very strong.”
Mobilisation and ONC’s new roles
According to Prossy Langol, the coordinator of ONC, Lango, they have gone too far in identifying and organizing vote protectors throughout Lango. She also said that people have faith in President Museveni’s leadership wherever they go.
“I’ve had regional meeting with my team and vote protectors were trained and know what to do in this excecise,” Langol told tndNews.
Before 2026, the ONC will have recruited at least 145,000 people across the country.
Ocen, NRM spokesperson, stated that what they present to the public is excellent, and praised ONC Lango for supplementing their work.
“The Office of the National Chairman (ONC) team in Lango is doing a great job in identifying good people to mobilise votes for President and also monitoring government programs and pledges by the President during campaign, make reports on it for the government to attend to.
Also read: tndQuestions I One-on-One with Lango’s ONC Coordinator Prossy Langol
According to Ocen, the population, most importantly, requires peace and stability from the government in power to protect their property and lives, which the NRM will continue to provide.
Get a copy of “Soaring…”
“And, for your information, Milton, President Museveni will be on the ballot in 2026, and I am now urging the people of Lango to vote for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni because what we want is development, and if we want it, we must vote wisely so that the party in power or President Museveni has the strength and willingness to reward Lango with development.
“UPC or other parties are coming, but UPC to win an election would mean Lango becoming a “Republic”. But, if Uganda retains its “Republic status,” the UPC will have no chance of winning elections in Lango.
NRM are generous
“Interestingly, they receive funds from the NRM. UPC and FDC receive campaign funding from the NRM party, and their current survival or existence is due to NRM financing. For example, in the last election, UPC got about shs8b plus two big vehicles.”
When asked whether the money and vehicles came from the NRM party secretariat or the government, Ocen replied:
“First of all, the NRM party is the one running the government. The NRM got the contract from Ugandans for five years, then the NRM sub-contracted the contract. So, the NRM’s role is to monitor. So, we are subcontracting the contract we received…
Is UPC one of the sub-contractors? “UPC, we finance them in every election; they received funds from us. FDC, have you heard about it? – about shs7b and later caused them to split, resulting in the People’s Front for Freedom. Because of shs7b, FDC has yet to come together. And UPC only conducts political activities in the Lango sub-region, not beyond.”
Ocen boasts that what his party offers to opposition parties is what gives the NRM an advantage because all of the aforementioned political parties rely on the generosity of the NRM and President Museveni.
Highs and lows of UPC and NRM in Lango
Tom Ocen, a staunch UPC party member, told tndNews that the 2026 general elections will be a showcase of masterful and tactical maneuvers for a successful stride. “Specifically, Lango, a sub-region that has seen a consistent resurgence of political waves in recent decades, will undoubtedly undergo political baptism with an anticipated “crossing the floors”.”
He stated that two political heavyweight parties, the NRM and UPC, will compete for sub-regional supremacy. “Currently, the UPC and NRM parties are the largest shareholders in Lango Parliamentary slots, with the FDC having only one slot and a few UPC and NRM-leaning independents, a trend that is expected to change dramatically by 2026.”
He said the UPC party’s bold moves during the two by-elections in Oyam and Dokolo districts provide a clear blueprint for Akena’s UPC to compete for dominance in the UPC stronghold.
Regarding the attempted setback to Akena, Ocen stated that he became “unfazed by the legal setbacks.” “Akena skilfully turned a deaf ear to distraction from UPC rebel camps and increased Uganda House political visibility to unprecedented heights.
“It is worth noting that media outlets are now hosting UPC’s Akena more frequently than ever before, effectively marketing their political agenda to the general public.”
The natural faith
UPC’s Ocen attributes party success in Lango to founding father, Dr. Apollo Milton Obote (RIP), whose legacy Akena and UPC continue to honor. Second, the sub-region believes the ruling NRM party has issued several unfulfilled manifestos for Lango, causing dissatisfaction among residents.
“This is likely to pose a threat to NRM party flag bearers while supporting UPC challengers. Notable promises have included Akii Bua Stadium and Lango Palace, among others,” the UPC supporter said.
He added that the main political battle in Lango will be over the UPC’s desire to consolidate and expand its presence, reclaim current NRM constituencies, and elect more UPC MPs to Parliament. On the other hand, the ruling party will want to keep their current seats and possibly gain more.
The UPC’s strategic tactics expertly craft narratives that NRM has deviated from its original mission of service delivery, claiming it is now controlled by corrupt capitalists who have failed to address the basic needs of the common man. This, according to Ocen, has struck a chord with the average person, who is a victim of the status quo.
Based on this, UPC candidates will receive more applause in most constituencies, bolstered by robust UPC manifestos. The same tactics were used in the two most recent by-elections, he noted.
To increase pressure on the NRM, UPC party president Jimmy Akena, he noted, has strategically increased his political ambition to run for president in 2026, leaving his Lira City East seat to another UPC candidate, a move that will not only increase UPC numbers in Parliament, but also demonstrates a calculated belief in him as a Messiah who will restore UPC presence in most parts of the Lango sub-region.
“NRM, on the other hand, will want to use the regime’s incumbency, as well as its financial backbone, State tools, and machinery, to retain and gain seats in Parliament and other districts.This, however, will be challenged by a strong UPC mobilization, which has gained traction in the majority of villages across the subregion.
“Akena and UPC are not only capitalizing on UPC’s rich heritage, but also taking advantage of critical NRM flaws. NRM candidates tend to focus on campaigning for Museveni rather than actively presenting their own service delivery manifesto to voters,” he argued.
An Akena supporter, Ocen stated that his leader’s growing influence has caused a palpable shift among former NRM supporters, revealing that young emerging candidates have begun to gravitate toward his Uganda House structure, recognizing the momentum he has.
These unmistakable shifts demonstrate how Akena’s UPC can command significant support for himself and all UPC candidates in Lango in the upcoming elections, he stated, adding: “The upcoming elections will be a close race between the NRM and the UPC, with a shift in favor of the UPC.
“This dynamic shift will be based on the entrenched legacy of UPC founding father Dr Apollo Milton Obote, as well as voters’ perceived dissatisfaction with the current regime’s performance in addressing their social challenges.”
The Lango cultural crisis and politics
Regarding the current crisis, Prossy Langol stated that President Museveni directed both factions to seek dialogue or go to court.
She added that if the President’s wise counsel is followed, Lango will be more united than ever.
On his part, the long-time spokesperson of the Lango Cultural Foundation, Jacob Ocen, said, “First of all, the factions or the wrangle within the cultural institution has no effect and will not affect the NRM party politics in Lango or the votes of President Museveni because President Museveni and the NRM government reintroduced cultural institutions after it was abolished
“It’s our problem as Lango. We do not know how to use Lango cultural leadership to drive development. But I can assure you [Milton], even in Lango Cultural Foundation, there are NRM there; even in Lango Cultural Institution, there are NRM there; all of them are supporting President Museveni, and maybe can affect Members of Parliament in the NRM, but I can say that we are not expecting such happenings because people of Lango know that it is only NRM that has made them live in peace, going about their businesses; NRM and President Museveni brought people back home from the IDP camps.
“Generally, the cultural chaos has no impact on the NRM or President Museveni. The most important thing is to secure the state; everything else comes after that. All that is required is for the NRM to secure the state by electing President Museveni.
“Others can come, and we can say, ‘Send him MPs he will work with,’ and it is not only MPs from the NRM who work with and for Museveni, but also from the UPC and other political parties: Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo of FDC is a Minister, Betty Amongi of UPC and Nobert Mao of DP.
“President Museveni is a unifying factor, and everyone wants to identify with him because he is the only one who currently has the answers to Ugandans’ problems, including those of the opposition.”
Discover more from tndNews
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.