In a remarkably estranged event that took place on October 15, 2025, at St. Lira Hotel in Lira City, over 1,447 UPC supporters from 103 parishes within Lira City committed their allegiance to the National Resistance Movement flag bearer for the Lira City Woman Member of Parliament seat, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
They asserted that the overwhelming performance of the two leaders in service delivery was instrumental in their unique decision.
Anthony Okello, chairman UPC for Jinja Camp Parish, Lira City West Division, since 2023, stated that after he was controversially evicted from his position for abiding by his truthful nature, the responsibility of Dr Aceng’s victory in his parish officially lies on his resourceful shoulders.
Okello, who led a delegation of 23 other UPC delegates out of 26 from Jinja Camp Parish to Dr Aceng’s camp, said that with their influence, the NRM flag bearer’s victory in their jurisdiction is inevitable, especially after she championed the revamping of Lira Regional Referral Hospital.
John Ogwal, a resident of Acwao Ward, Lira City East Division, who claimed to have been a staunch UPC supporter since childhood, led over 25 UPC delegates to Aceng’s camp.
He asserted that Lira City benefited massively in the health department under the stewardship of Dr Aceng, which, according to him, elevates her to the position of the most performing minister ever appointed in the Lango sub-region.
Ogwal attributed the current flourishing peace and development in Lira City to President Yoweri Museveni, whom he believes inspires confidence and a strong reason to maintain trust in his leadership.
Catherine Apio, an elderly UPC supporter currently battling severe hypertension, credited Aceng for revolutionising healthcare at Lira Regional Referral Hospital.
Apio insisted that Dr Aceng’s effort to elevate the facility’s healthcare has eased her regular acquisition of much-needed medical attention as a patient, an achievement she believes is worth earning her loyalty as a committed leader.
Godwin Acai, a renowned UPC supporter and formerly a close friend of the embattled UPC party president Jimmy James Michael Akena since 2006, who recently publicly announced his support for Dr Aceng and President Museveni, applauded Aceng for her commitment to the electorate and her non-discriminative political policy.
Acai, who is currently coordinating mobilisation for votes for both Dr Aceng and Yoweri Museveni in the entire Lira City, confirmed his commitment to champion the ongoing mobilisation of at least 30 opposition members from each parish in Lira City to mobilise votes for both Museveni and Dr Aceng in the forthcoming election.
“I’ve decided to support Dr Aceng simply because she is the best leader we have got. She’s doing a lot for our community, country, and the world at large. She is a unique leader who doesn’t segregate,” emphasised Acai.
He noted that the reason behind their boycott of the current UPC aspirant for Lira Woman Member of Parliament, Betty Amongi, is based on her lack of commitment to the constituents and repeated pursuit of personal interest.
Speaking during the same event, Lira City West Division UPC flag bearer for Member of Parliament, Jimmy Awany Cingmalu, criticized the UPC flag bearer for Lira Woman Member of Parliament aspirant, Betty Amongi, currently Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, for insisting on contesting against Dr Aceng, a move he described as one that would painfully deprive Lango sub-region of one of the most coveted ministerial positions.
Awany cited the failure of the UPC as a party to present an authentic presidential candidate since 2011 as the main reason its die-hard supporters have pledged their allegiance to Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the NRM party, a leader he praised for overseeing a complete transformation of Uganda’s economy in recent years.
In her engagement with the new devotees, Dr Jane Aceng assured them that her primary priority in vying for a second term in Parliament dwells on bringing about more service delivery to the people of Lira and Lango at large, especially in the health department.
“Lira University has already granted us an adequate land of twenty acres on which we shall establish a regional blood bank, a cancer institute, an orthopaedic unit, and a cardiovascular health unit, each on a five-acre space,” she revealed.
Aceng, however, refuted ongoing rumours that she contributed to the current chaos within the UPC party, saying these are fabricated deceptions aimed at sabotaging her political reputation.
“I have no idea where UPC’s issues even started. All my life, I have never met an individual who contested against the UPC party president. So, I need you to know those are lies,” Minister Aceng insisted.
Dr Jane Aceng challenged the people of Lango to vote massively for NRM party president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to attract more development and ministerial appointments for the sub-region, as demonstrated in other regions across Uganda.
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