By KT Reporter
Seven candidates who lost the 2026 Kitgum Municipality mayoral race have taken the rare step of putting political rivalry aside to form a new association aimed at promoting development, reconciliation and leadership mentorship in East Acholi.
The cross-party group says the initiative will focus on sharing development ideas with elected leaders, rebuilding relationships strained during the heated election period, and nurturing future leaders in the sub-region.
Speaking to journalists in Kitgum Municipality on Friday, Raymond Ocan, the interim chairperson of the association, said the highly competitive mayoral contest left behind deep divisions among political actors and supporters, divisions that could hinder development if left unaddressed.
Ocan said that although they lost the election, they had not lost their responsibility to the people of Kitgum and East Acholi, noting that the association was formed to transform political competition into collaboration for the good of the community. Ocan explained that the group plans to formally engage the newly elected mayor and council, offering policy proposals on urban planning, service delivery and inclusive governance.
Beyond development advocacy, Ocan said reconciliation will be a central pillar of the association, aimed at healing relationships damaged by campaign rhetoric and political rivalry. According to Ocan, East Acholi has repeatedly lost visionary leadership because political bickering often lingers long after elections, affecting both leaders and their supporters.
He called on all candidates who lost elections at municipal, district and sub-regional levels across East Acholi to join the association for the common good.
Ocan added that the association also intends to act as a moral compass, “a brake,” as he put it, when newly elected leaders stray from their mandate. Merino Lol Ongee, the interim treasurer of the association, said the group’s members still have a long future in public service, regardless of electoral outcomes.
Ongee noted that, based on their age bracket, each of the mayoral candidates has at least 20 more years of active public engagement ahead, years that do not necessarily require holding elective office. He said the association was formed out of consensus and shared values rather than political convenience.
John Komakech Ogwok, the association’s Secretary General, said the group will also undertake joint civic activities, including voter education, to better prepare citizens for future elections.
Ogwok observed that many voters, particularly first-time voters, did not receive adequate civic education during the 2026 election cycle, leaving gaps in understanding electoral procedures and civic responsibility. He added that the association will encourage communities to openly raise pressing issues such as land disputes, insecurity and poverty.
“We intend to establish a strong secretariat to handle pressing issues by advocating for alternative policies to address them,” Ogwok said. According to Ogwok, leaders must identify critical challenges and actively work to resolve them. He noted that although Acholi overwhelmingly voted for President Yoweri Museveni, this should not be mistaken for complacency, as poverty levels in the sub-region remain high.
Ogwok stressed that the association will remain non-partisan and open to collaboration with civil society organisations, cultural and religious institutions, and government bodies in promoting unity and long-term development across Acholi.
The group also plans to mentor young people interested in public service, arguing that leadership development should begin outside election cycles. “We want to build a strong foundation for leadership. If any of us here wants to contest as a Member of Parliament in the next general election, we shall be their campaign agents,” Ogwok said.
According to Ogwok, the association, still unnamed, held its first meeting on January 29, just two days after the mayoral election. He said the group is currently in a promotional phase as members complete the required processes to formally register it.
The association’s founding members were all defeated by the incumbent mayor, Richard Ojara, who ran as an independent candidate and secured 4,625 votes. His closest challenger, Santo Morris Oyo of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), garnered 3,309 votes, while Raymond Ocan of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) received 788 votes.
Walter Livingst Toroma, an independent candidate, polled 262 votes, while Merino Lol Ongee secured 92 votes. John Komakech Ogwok of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) obtained 60 votes, and Peter Opika Opoka of the Democratic Party (DP) trailed with 40 votes.
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