Ojok Wins Omoro County By-election

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party candidate Andrew Ojok Oulanyah has been declared the winner of the Omoro County Member of Parliament by-elections. 

Ojok, replaces his father Jacob Oulanyah, the former Speaker of Parliament who died in March in Seattle in the USA due to cancer.  

Ojok was declared the winner of the elections from Lalogi Sub County headquarters by the Omoro district returning officer Moses Kagona. He garnered 14,224 of the total votes cast defeating his closest rival Simon Toolit Akecha of National Unity Platform-NUP who got ,633 votes.  

Terence Odonga, an independent candidate came third with 532 votes followed by Justine Odong Obiya of Forum for Democratic Change who scored 529 votes.

Others are Jimmy Odong Onen, an independent candidate who scored 88 votes, and Oscar Kizza of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party with 63 votes.  

17,454 voters participated in the elections out of the 38,638 from the 84 polling stations. A total of ten votes were spoiled. 

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Ojok says that he will work towards developing the people of Omoro as it was his father`s wish.  

In the Lalogi/Lakwaya Sub County Women council seat. Florence Lalam of NRM was declared the winner with 2,30 votes followed by Mercy Ayoo of FDC with 708 votes.

Franka Lawino, an independent scored 683 votes, Christine Anek Topista of Uganda People's Congress (UPC) scored 309 votes and Margaret Labol on NUP scored 130 of the total votes cast.  

The election saw 4,200 valid votes and 101 rejected from the 25 polling stations.  

Justice Simon Byabakama, the Electoral Commission Chairperson applauded the voters and candidates for upholding peace and tranquility during the elections.

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However, Mathias Mpuuga the Leader of Opposition says that the elections were marred with irregularities, intimidation, and arrest of their agents and supporters.   He noted that it was already in their wisdom that Ojok would be declared winner of the elections regardless of anything. 

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Oscar Kizza, the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) candidate also noted that the result is not surprising since it was marred with vote-buying and bribery.  

He says he will seek the court to oust Ojok from Parliament since he had irregularities in his candidature. 

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