Opinion: Neither Aceng nor Amongi represent the future of Lango

The current political storm in Lango is centered on a rivalry between Ministers Dr Jane Ruth Aceng of the NRM and Betty Amongi of the UPC, who also supports the NRM.

The two have formed camps and are trading high-flying accusations. Battle lines have been drawn. However, this (Lira City MP) contest is not about Lango’s development; rather, it is a struggle for political dominance, with the goal of attracting the attention of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Both senior ladies want to prove who has more “power” in the subregion.

At one point, Jane Ruth Aceng appeared to be the president’s blue-eyed favorite, believing she could persuade Lango to support government initiatives and NRM ideology. This sense of power gave her an air of self-importance, which some claim she abused by “falsely” reporting individuals, including business actors, to the State House.

She has also been accused of abusing her power to force unnecessary transfers of civil servants, including those in security, and appointing her supporters to key positions such as Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and their deputy.

Aceng made a critical miscalculation by openly discrediting UPC before Museveni, the very political stronghold where she is attempting to increase her political influence.

She ignored the gentleman’s agreement between NRM and UPC, failing to recognize that NRM would do nothing to prevent Amongi from deposing her in Lira City.

Betty Amongi, on the other hand, has skillfully capitalized on Aceng’s political “weaknesses” to strengthen the UPC-NRM alliance. President Museveni, a sharp politician, appears to prefer dealing with controversial figures like Amongi, who have demonstrated the political clout to rally support for him.

Aceng, on the other hand, has only projected an illusion of influence, lacking Museveni’s preferred grassroots mobilization capacity.

Amongi, with all her negative doings and several complaints, has brought both UPC and NRM supporters under a single roof, ensuring that UPC no longer poses a threat to the NRM’s hold on power.

“Thanks” to Amongi and UPC factional leader Jimmy Akena, this neutralization pleases Museveni more than ever.

The shift in political dynamics became even clearer when Amongi officially changed her voting station from Oyam to Lira City, confirming her intention to challenge Dr Aceng in the highly anticipated race for Lira City women Member of Parliament.

However, amidst these political machinations, the real question remains: what do these two leaders have to offer the Lango people? Unfortunately, the answer is not much. While Lango has praised the appointment of these two women to cabinet positions, no significant resources have been allocated to spur development in the sub-region.

Lango still has some of Uganda’s fewest tarmacked roads. Despite being the country’s third-largest revenue generator, Lira City remains underdeveloped, with poor roads, insufficient public investment, and an overall deteriorating urban environment.

The real problems in Lango—poverty, poor infrastructure, and underdevelopment—remain unresolved. Some of these challenges were highlighted during the Lango Conference in 2012, yet neither Amongi nor Aceng has provided the leadership needed to resolve them.

Their positions appear to be motivated by personal ambition rather than public interest.

If the verdict were mine alone, I would drop both of them. They have made no significant contributions to Lango other than to steer disunity and confusion. These two have polarized the sub-region, and what Lango needs is fresh leader—someone with a clear vision to unite the people and provide strategic direction.

As the political battle between Amongi and Aceng heats up, the people of Lango remain caught in the crossfire, wondering whether this rivalry will ever result in meaningful development, or if we are simply witnessing another ego-driven struggle for power and self-actualization.

Lango’s future does not lie with Aceng or Amongi. It is time to look beyond them and find a leader who truly prioritizes people’s needs over personal and political ambition.

The author, Newton Noble Odongo, is a political-social commentator.