Omoro Woman MP Aspirant Quits Race After Museveni Promises Job

A candidate in the race for the Omoro woman parliamentary seat has quit after a meeting last week with President Museveni who has reportedly promised her a job.

Grace Atim told a press conference at the Northern Uganda Media Club Monday morning that she decided to drop out of the race to after a meeting with President at State House on Wednesday last week.

“I have to listen to the elders. I have to respect the party leaders. Now that the President has asked me to let Lamwaka carry the NRM flag, I have to oblige,” she told the media.  Lamwaka is the NRM candidate for the Omoro woman parliamentary seat.

Acholi Times understands that the meeting with the president was also attended by Catherine Lamwaka, Christine Lowila, the Pader Woman MP, the Acholi Paramount Chief, Rwot Acana II and William Nokrach, the MP for isability for northern Uganda and UPDF Chief of logistics, Brig Otema Awany.

Acholi Times could not establish what purpose the presence of the Acholi Paramount Chief, Rwot Acana served at the State House political meeting.

Brig Charles Otema Awany by law is barred from engaging in partisan politics but he is a known supporter of Catherine Lamwaka of the NRM with whom he has a close relationship.

Lamwaka contested for the Gulu woman parliamentary seat in the February elections. Her loss, some say, was due to Brig Otema who although has a large purse but is unpopular in Gulu.

Atim admitted that the President has promised her a job but said he [President] was not ‘‘specific’’ on the nature of the job. There’s talk doing the rounds in Gulu that she could be appointed Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Omoro.

Denis Obong, the District Registrar for the Electoral Commission (EC) for Omoro confirmed receiving a letter dated Aug, 6, 2016 in which Atim popularly known as ‘‘ Oleyo Wiya,’’ her stage name( she was once a budding local artist before switching for the murky waters of politics).

In the letter, according to Obong, Atim informed the EC that she had decided to drop out of the race.

Atim, a teacher by profession  was the NRM candidate in the 2011 Woman MP race for Gulu district.

She had nominated for the Omoro Woman MP race as an Independent following a rift in the NRM in which she accused the party for handpicking Lamwaka without holding primaries.

Of the remaining 10 candidates in the Woman MP race in Omor, three are leaning NRM members. Others in the race are; Santa Okot, the former Pader Woman MP, Christine Atimango Odong, the former Amuru Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) who is running on an independent ticket, Prossy Alanyo Owiny, (FDC), Mariea Shaka Lapolo (UPC), Alice Aneno Oroma and Betty Lalam, all Independents.

Lamwaka, a former Gulu Resident District Commissioner (RDC) lost in the February 18, elections to FDC die-hard, Betty Aol Ocan. S

Elections for District LCV, Woman MP and councilors are set for August, 29. Omoro was curved out of Gulu in this year.