Dokolo, (UG):- As open campaigns for the Dokolo District Woman Member of Parliament race come to an end today, Ms Anna Grace Lalam, NRM-leaning independent aspirant has withdrawn from the race in favour of the NRM candidate Rose Adongo Elau.
Speaking to DailyExpress in a telephone interview, Ms Anna Grace Lalam said President Museveni asked her to step down from the race in favour of the NRM party flag-bearer a few days to the voting exercise.
“President called me and stopped me from continuing in the race. I am yet waiting to meet him to finalize certain things with him when he comes then I hold a press briefing,” Ms Lalam said.
According to Ms Lalam, after holding several engagements with the party key player, she decided to step down to honour the rules.
The Electoral Commission set Thursday, March 21, 2024, for the elections to fill the Dokolo Woman MP seat which fell vacant following the death of the former MP Cecilia Atim Ogwal in January this year.
With the stepping down of Anna Grace Lalam, the only aspirants now left in the race are Rosemary Alwoc Ogwal from Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Janet Rose Adongo Elau from National Resistance Movement (NRM), Sarah Aguti from Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Harriet Ageno of National unity platform(NUP).
Others are Esther Akullo Obot and Rebecca Arao all are independent candidates.
Other NRM-leaning independent candidates; Akullu Obot and Arao are still in the race despite the NRM party’s director of mobilization Rosemary Seninde, and director of communication, Emmanuel Domo’s attempt to convince them to step down.
A source in the NRM party who asked not to be named said they hope the duo is likely to step down after meeting with President Museveni today in Dokolo District.
“The president is coming today, and those two candidates are likely to accept advice from the president today.”
Meanwhile, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is expected this afternoon to campaign for the flag bearer, Janet Rose Adongo Elau with two rallies at Atabu Primary School in Bata sub-county (Dokolo North) and Amatiburu Primary School in Kangai sub-county, Dokolo South constituency.
Several opposition party leaders have reportedly pitched camp in Dokolo District conversing votes for their candidates from the date of nomination of candidates to date.
Among the party leaders are Uganda People Congress party president, Jimmy James Micheal Akena and his team, Patrick Oboi Amoriat of Forum for Democratic Change party and team of National Unity platform.
Security warns against interfering with elections
The Territorial Police of Dokolo District in North Kyoga has warned that they are closely monitoring the campaign activities of Candidates in Dokolo Woman Member of Parliament by-election for voting slated for Thursday 21st March 2024.
Jimmy Patrick Okema said police are prepared to provide security to voters before and after voting.
“Security has been beefed in Dokolo District with all intelligent agencies deployed to monitor the election process are free of insecurity,” Mr Okema said, before urging the public to remain and adhere to the electoral laws in this legitimate cause.
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