By KT Reporter
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has thrown its weight behind Simon Opoka, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) candidate for the Laroo-Pece Division parliamentary seat following the withdrawal of its candidate from the race.
This comes days after Geoffrey Komakech, the FDC candidate, stepped down from the hotly contested race.
Wilson Chagga Oyat, the FDC Secretary General for the Acholi sub-region, cited personal reasons for their candidate’s decision to step down from the parliamentary race.
Although Komakech has not yet formally notified the Electoral Commission, his exit makes him the third candidate to withdraw from the Laroo-Pece race after independent candidates Caesar Lubangakene, and Edward Odong.
Announcing the endorsement on behalf of the FDC leadership and joint opposition political parties in Acholi on Friday, Oyat said the resolution to back Opoka was reached during a meeting held on December 18, 2025.
Chagga said 76 party members during the meeting signed and endorsed Opoka’s candidature adding that they have also handed over the party structure for easy mobilization in Laroo-Pece Constituency.
He noted that similar arrangement apply to Marc Anthony Obonyo, an independent candidate in the Gulu City mayoral race.
“…On behalf of FDC and joint opposition political parties in Acholi land, yesterday the 18th of December, FDC leadership and management sat in Maliya Ward and resolved to endorse our brother Simon Opoka as the joint united opposition political party candidate…,” Oyat said.
Oyat said official endorsement documents has been handed to Opoka to enable him to proceed with his campaigns in the Laroo-Pece Division parliamentary race.
According to Oyat, the FDC leadership decision to rally behind Opoka was driven by the need to avoid splitting opposition votes and leaving a vacuum that could benefit the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party.
“…FDC as a party has no candidate, and we cannot leave that gap to NRM. As opposition political parties, we thought it wise to rally behind a credible and saleable candidate, and we found that in Simon Opoka for directly elected Member of Parliament…” Said Oyat.
Opoka, a former Democratic Party vice national chairperson crossed to the UPC party in November shortly before parliamentary nomination, accusing his former party leaders of sidelining him in favour of Mao.
He told Uganda Radio Network on Friday that the endorsement marked a deliberate shift from division to unity and praised FDC’s grassroots structures, saying they bring tested mobilisation capacity to his campaign.
Opoka noted that both the UPC and FDC parties would formalise their cooperation through a memorandum of understanding adding that the joint platform would prioritise vulnerable groups, including girls born in abduction, and young mothers forced into early relationships due to poverty.
Efforts to get comments from Komakech were futile as he didn’t answer our repeated phone calls to his cell phone.
Opoka faces stiff competition from his former president General Norbert Mao, and current Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
The race for the Laroo-Pece constituency has since narrowed down to seven candidates following the withdrawal of three candidates. The contest is widely seen as heated between Mao, the incumbent Legislator Fr Charles Onen and the NRM candidate Tony Kitara.
Other contenders include Democratic Front (DF) candidate Samuel George Okello, and independent candidates Charles Odokonyero and Wilfred Opobo.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
