KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Forum for Democratic Change – FDC candidate for Omoro County By-election, Denis Dick Owani has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen, the opposition party said Thursday morning.
According to an official statement via the party’s Twitter account, Owani who was weeks ago unveiled as the FDC flagbearer for the May 26 elections was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on Wednesday evening, and his whereabouts are yet to be known.
“Our candidate for Omoro county Owani Dick Denis has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen ahead of his nomination today. His whereabouts are yet to be Known,” the party said in a tweet.
FDC Party president Patrick Amuriat in a separate tweet confirmed Owani’s arrest and said he was kidnapped at around 8:30 pm on his way from Rupiny Radio after an evening talk show.
“He was on his way back to Omoro from a Rupiny radio talk show in Gulu at 8:30 pm when this happened,” he tweeted before adding; “We highly suspect this to be the handwork of the usual suspect fearing the strength of @FDCOfficial1 in this particular by-election.”
Owani’s arrest comes barely a day before his nomination for the election which is due today, Thursday, May 12, 2022.
Omoro county seat fell vacant after the death of Jacob Oulanyah who was also speaker of parliament. Oulanyah died from the US where he had been taken for specialized medication on 20th March 2022.
Notable candidates in the race are late Oulanyah’s son Andrew Ojok Oulanyah who was fronted by the NRM, FDC’s Owani Dick Denis, and NUP’s Simon Tolit Akecha.
The nomination of all candidates expected to take part in the highly contested race is slated for today, May 12, 2022.
At the time of filing this story, no security arm had come out with an official statement on the alleged kidnap of FDC’s Dennis Owani.
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