Voters in Ajuri County today go back to the polls to elect their Member of Parliament following the postponement of voting at 18 polling stations. Results from the affected polling stations could swing the outcome of the directly elected Member of Parliament race in Ajuri County, Alebtong District, and alter the political fortunes of the candidates.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has scheduled today for voting in the 18 polling stations where the election was earlier halted.
These include Arwot Primary School, Agogoro Primary School (A-AW), Awei Sub-county headquarters, and Alam ‘B’, Adagani. Others are Ogogoro Primary School (AX-Z), Wigweng Chapel, Awao, Abako Corner, Amia Yahweh Church, Teongora, Alengo Church of Uganda, Owalo Primary School, Amuk-Aol ‘A’, Okwalo Aboce, Amuka-Aola ‘B’ and Obanga Ber, all located in the parishes of Awori, Acede, Ojul and Owalo.
The electoral body ordered a fresh election in the affected polling stations after uncovering serious discrepancies. The decision followed a challenge by Mr Fred Jalameso, the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) candidate, who alleged that the declared results did not tally with those recorded at the polling stations.
Mr Jalameso was leading with 14,321 votes (44.5 percent) when results from 160 of the 178 polling stations had been tallied, followed by the Government Chief Whip and incumbent, Mr Denis Hamson Obua (NRM), with 12,963 votes (40.25 percent).
Other candidates included Mr Emmanuel Ongom Okwel of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), who polled 2,848 votes, while independents Stephen Omara and Jasper Molo garnered 1,558 and 507 votes respectively. The regional elections officer, Mr Jackson Igenyi Babirye, conducted a recount following Mr Jalameso’s complaint and discovered serious discrepancies, prompting the decision to hold a re-run.
Ajuri County in Alebtong District faces significant challenges that affect the daily lives of its 154,969 residents. One major concern is limited access to reliable information, with 9,020 people relying on word of mouth, while only 75 use television and 65 access social media, according to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census (NPHC) report.
Water and sanitation crisis
The county also struggles with inadequate water and sanitation facilities. The 2024 NPHC report shows that 5,897 people rely on unimproved water sources, 21,672 lack proper sanitation, and 2,769 practise open defecation. This situation persists despite district efforts to address the problem through the construction of boreholes and the promotion of hygiene practices.
Poor road network
A poor road network further compounds the challenges, making it difficult for families to transport sick relatives to health centres and move agricultural produce to Lira City. This not only affects access to healthcare but also stifles economic growth. Like the rest of northern Uganda, agriculture is the main economic activity in Ajuri County.
Most farmers practise subsistence farming to feed their families and sell surplus produce to meet household needs such as healthcare and education.
To fully exploit the area’s agricultural potential, residents say they need a reliable road network to transport goods to markets.
‘Farmers here are facing a tough time after recent floods washed away road crossings and bridges, cutting off access to markets, health centres and schools,’ Mr Lameck Ogwal, the chairman of Aminomugo Village in Owalo Parish, Awei Sub-county, said.
‘The water uprooted everything. The cassava is rotting in the soil. The maize gardens are gone. We eat what we can salvage, but when it is finished, I don’t know what will happen to our families,’ he added.