A fierce battle is brewing in Lira City as two prominent cabinet ministers, Ms Betty Amongi and Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, clash in a high-stakes contest for the Woman Representative seat in Parliament. Already, the rivalry between these two powerful figures has sent shockwaves through the entire Lango Sub-region, with supporters on both sides fiercely defending their candidates.
Ms Amongi, who has abandoned her Oyam County South parliamentary seat and relocated to Lira City, is the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and Uganda People’s Congress flagbearer. Dr. Aceng is the Minister of Health, incumbent Lira City Woman Member of Parliament, and the flagbearer of the ruling National Resistance Movement.
Interestingly, amidst this intense political showdown, a young and ambitious challenger has emerged: Ms Patricia Aceng Ogwang, a former radio presenter who is determined to shake things up and make her mark on Lira City politics. Ms Aceng Ogwang is running on an Independent ticket.
Ms Amongi says UPC flag bearers will sweep all the parliamentary seats in this principal trade centre of Lango sub-region, starting with Lira City Woman MP seat. In Lira City East Division, Mr James Ocen of UPC is battling for the seat with NRM’s Denis Alyela Omodi and Mr. Isaac Apenyo (Independent).
This seat is being held by Mr Jimmy Akena Obote, UPC party leader, also Ms Amongi’s beloved husband. In City West Division, UPC’s Vincent Shedrick Obong (incumbent); NRM’s Eddy Morris Ogweng, Mr. Denis Blair Odongo Okello (Ind), Mr. Jimmy Awany (Ind), and Mr. Dan Okello (Ind) are battling for the seat.
“We are here to win all seats in Lira City as members of Uganda People’s Congress. We are going to focus on the issues. We are not going to focus on the people who are diverting us. We are going to focus on what the needs of the people of Lira City are: Economic empowerment,” says Ms Amongi.
Industrializing the City is next on Ms Amongi’s 2026-2031 agenda. “I will work to ensure that we operationalise Lira Industrial Park, that I’ve already got two investors – one from Korea and one from Dubai – ready to come and invest in Lira Industrial Park,” she says, pledging to ensure economic empowerment of the people of Lira City, not forgetting the youth and women.
“I’ve already started a scaling programme. I have the affordable capital at only 10% per annum, which I’m going to scale up among the population.” Ms Amongi is contesting under her slogan “Oribcing olweny wunu ikom can, bed i cente icao (literally means “Let’s join hands together, let’s fight poverty; have money in your pocket.”
According to the UPC aspirant, without money, you cannot solve the basic needs of humanity: education, healthcare, food, shelter, and clothing.
“It is money that addresses the concerns of the people. I will work to ensure that whether you are in agriculture, whether you are in business, whether you are in any sector of the economy, we are going to support you to ensure that you have money in your pocket to sustain your family and to build our economy,” says the Gender minister.
‘Protecting gains’
Nonetheless, Dr. Aceng reaffirms her readiness to defend her seat as the Lira City Woman Representative in Parliament. The Minister of Health pledges unity and teamwork, further emphasizing that the transformation of Lira City requires a collective effort.
“I have made good gains in the areas of water and sanitation, education, health, and wealth creation. And I’ve been a promise to the people of Lira City not only to protect those gains but to enhance those gains,” she says.
Ms Aceng Ogwang says she is better placed to represent the people of Lira City. “My vision for Lira City is one where every citizen, especially women and youth, have equal access to opportunities, quality services, and a dignified life. I believe that development must be people-centered, inclusive, and sustainable,” she explains.
If given the mandate, Ms Aceng Ogwang promises to champion a leadership that listens, engages, and delivers. “I intend to strengthen our community through three core pillars: health and sanitation for all, urban farming for food security and income, and education and child empowerment,” she says.
Population and size
With a population of 245,132 people, including 112,439 males and 132,693 females, Lira City is a prominent urban and commercial hub located in northern Uganda, within the Lango Sub-region. Geographically, it lies at latitude 2°17′ north of the Equator and longitude 32°56′ east of the Prime Meridian.
Its central location makes it a key gateway to northern trade, culture, and development. On August 6, 2020, Lira was officially approved as an Industrial and Commercial City, affirming its role as a regional center for commerce, governance, and innovation.
Today, Lira City continues to grow as a dynamic, inclusive, and forward-looking urban space serving the people of the Lango Sub-region and beyond. The city is divided into two main divisions and further subdivided into 49 wards and 236 cells, each with residential, commercial, and institutional developments.
City East Division is the largest, with its size totaling 192Km2 while Lira City West Division’s size stands at 92.6Km2.
Issues on ground
Lira is grappling with one of the highest burdens of HIV infections in the country, standing at 12 percent as of 2024. This problem is attributed to various factors, including the increasing involvement of people living with HIV in risky behaviours such as commercial sex work.
Other stressing issues include, among others; the horrible state of the roads within the city, youth unemployment, poverty, domestic violence, and poor sanitation and hygiene.
Who is Aceng Ogwang?
She is a journalist and public health advocate, who is passionate about using communication to drive positive change in her community. With over six years of experience in broadcast and online journalism, Ms. Ogwang has dedicated her career to telling stories that inspire, inform, and empower the people of Lango and beyond.
Through her work, she has focused on advocacy issues that promote attitudinal change towards gender-based violence (GBV), health, gender equality, and social inclusion. Her voice and writing have served as platforms for awareness, accountability, and action, ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left behind.
In addition to journalism, she has invested deeply in public health. This blend of communication and health has strengthened her belief that informed people are empowered people. As the founder of Wanacel Foundation, a women’s rights and advocacy organisation based in Lira City, she has worked to empower women and youth through mentorship, leadership training, and community dialogue.
Ms. Ogwang’s earlier volunteer experience with Child Fund International in Kampala, where she trained and mentored young people in vulnerable communities, gave her firsthand insight into the challenges faced by ordinary Ugandans and the courage to be part of the solution.
About Amongi
Born on November 15, 1975, Ms. Amongi has worked hard to defend the rights of women, including spearheading the campaign advocating for the scrapping of refund of bride price in Uganda.
Through her work with global parliamentary associations; the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Inter Parliamentary Union, where she has been serving as an executive member, Ms. Amongi has travelled widely to Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, Japan, Myanmar, Samoa, Tonga, Oman, Yemen, Gambia, and Saudi Arabia to meet government officials in the campaign for inclusion of women in Parliament.
She has also been involved in global campaigns on peace and security. Through her work in Somalia, the clan leaders who were opposed to a constitutional provision of including women representation in Parliament had accepted to progressively adopt a quota system for women.
She is an expert trainer of trainees for Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Inter-Parliamentary Union and serves as a gender expert for the Uganda Gender partnership Donor group to help shape donor priorities in the areas of women’s empowerment.
She is a trained professional in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies, Political Science, and Gender and Development Studies. She served as Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development. She previously served as the Cabinet Minister of Kampala Capital City before being posted to her current portfolio of Gender, Labour, and Social Development.
Who is Dr. Aceng?
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine (MBChB), MMED (Pediatrics), Masters in Public Health, and Diploma in Health System Strengthening. She is a pediatrician expert and currently at the level of senior consultant pediatrics.
Dr. Aceng has vast experience both as a manager and practicing medical personnel. She served as medical officer, senior medical officer, medical officer special grade, medical superintendent, consultant pediatrician, senior consultant pediatrician, hospital director, and formerly as the Director General Health Services, where she was responsible for coordinating technical functions for the delivery of Health services, a role she has fulfilled until her appointment as the Minister for Health.