By KT Reporter
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has won the Lira City Mayoral seat. This position was previously held by the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), and later by an independent candidate.
In the local government elections conducted on January 22nd, the incumbent Sam Atul, now holding the NRM flag, retained his seat after a tight race with Mike Ogwang Olwa Veve of UPC and 7 others.
James Aggrey Ipeto, the returning officer for Lira City, declared Atul the winner, having attained the highest number of valid votes cast. Atul won with 16,905 votes, followed by Ogwang Olwa, who polled 11,752, while George Okello Ayo, an Independent- UPC leaning, came third with 3,221 votes.
The other candidates, Patrick Ogwang of the National Unity Platform (NUP), garnered 379; Fred Obote of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) garnered 149; independent candidates, Sarah Awor Angweri got 257; Henry Opio Ogenyi polled 177; and Patrick Opige Okwel garnered 105.
Another Independent candidate, Romanos Hannie Okello, came last with 89 votes.
Addressing the media after his declaration, Atul pledged to prioritize the city’s infrastructure development. “I know that our trademark in this campaign, the common person who is out there, saw a grader that was bought out of local revenue. They saw a roller that was bought out of the local revenue. Actually, we will continue making our roads better.”
Having had eight people competing to remove him from that seat, Atul called on the other candidates to join forces with him to develop the city, saying it is a collective responsibility.
Patrick Opige Okwel, one of the candidates who lost to Atul, welcomed Atul’s idea, saying Lira City should not become a battlefield because some people lost elections.
Meanwhile, in the City East division, Charles Opio Olol from the UPC won as the directly elected councilor to the city council, having polled 9537, against his closest opponent, Kasimiro Ogwal from NRM, who got 5332 votes.
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