Pallisa, Uganda: Over 200 NRM delegates from Butebo and Pallisa districts on Saturday endorsed Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among as their sole candidate for the party’s Second National Vice Chairperson (Female) slot, ahead of her main rival, Rebecca Kadaga Alutwala, who is seeking to retain the position.
The endorsement, which took place during a consultative meeting at Kyoga Hotel Gardens in Pallisa, attracted 198 delegates and was presided over by Herbert Edmund Ariko, MP for Soroti City East, representing Among.
Ariko rallied delegates to support Among, praising her political flexibility and unique mobilisation skills that have reportedly swayed opposition leaders to embrace the NRM ideology more effectively than any recent Speaker.
“If you love NRM and President Museveni, you have no reason to deny Anita your vote. She has given the President less political stress than in the past,” Ariko said.
He added that the NRM now needs leaders who are fully committed to driving the party towards achieving its strategic goals, citing Among as the best-placed candidate for the job.
Local Leaders Table Development Demands
The meeting also saw local leaders and delegates seize the opportunity to present key development concerns. Ben Okiria, Pallisa District NRM Chairperson, regretted that Among could not attend in person but urged Ariko to convey urgent district priorities, including upgrading Pallisa General Hospital to a regional referral facility to serve Bukedi North, comprising Butebo, Pallisa, Kibuku, and Budaka districts.
“Pallisa Town Council is overdue for municipal status. It cannot remain in the same position since 1992,” Okiria noted.
From Butebo District, Chairperson James Okurut lamented the lack of tarmac roads in the area, calling for the urgent upgrading of the Akadot–Pallisa–Nakaloke (Mbale) road via Butebo, which he described as the busiest commercial route in the district. He also appealed for the elevation of Butebo Health Centre IV to district hospital status.
In response, Ariko assured delegates that all concerns would be forwarded to the Speaker’s office for follow-up, emphasising that infrastructure upgrades, cattle compensation, and improved health services in Butebo and Pallisa remain critical priorities.
Gabriel Enyaru, a delegate from Butebo, stressed that his vote would go to a candidate who physically visits the community to appreciate their challenges, rather than waiting for delegates at Kololo.
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