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The race for the Padyere County MP seat is heating up as Nebbi District Chairperson Emmanuel Urombi has announced his intention to challenge the incumbent, Isaac Otimgiw.
Urombi, speaking to journalists, criticized Otimgiw for not meeting the expectations of voters. Joining the race is also Denis Oryema Olyeko, a real estate businessman, who expressed his dissatisfaction with Otimgiw's performance.
Olyeko stated, “We have 15 sub-counties, but since Otimgiw was elected, he rarely visits them to understand the challenges our people face. He doesn’t attend social functions. I’ve decided to unseat him so that our people can have a voice in Parliament.”
All three candidates—Urombi, Olyeko, and Otimgiw—are members of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political organization founded earlier this year, with Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba as its patron. Urombi serves as the PLU’s deputy coordinator in Nebbi District, while Olyeko and Otimgiw are part of the organization’s mobilization department.
Emmanuel Urombi
Olyeko highlighted the popularity of President Yoweri Museveni and Gen. Muhoozi in the West Nile region, citing the 2021 general elections as evidence of strong support for the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Urombi, who has risen through the ranks of the NRM since joining in 2011, said, “In 2026, I aim to occupy the Padyere parliamentary seat. I have the necessary credentials, and many in the NRM have urged me to run.”
The contenders agree that addressing unemployment is a key issue. Olyeko pointed out that Nebbi District, engaged in traditional farming, needs to shift towards commercial farming to create jobs and improve income for local farmers. He also emphasized the need to establish factories in the district to add value to agricultural products and improve the poor road network to attract investors. When questioned about his desire to join Parliament rather than focus on his current role as LCV Chairperson, Urombi responded, “You must spend time with the locals to truly understand their struggles.”
Incumbent MP Otimgiw responded to the criticisms by placing blame on Urombi for the poor road conditions in the district, accusing him of failing to utilize the Shs1 billion allocated annually for road maintenance. Otimgiw defended his record, highlighting his engagement with the community and infrastructure improvements, such as installing solar lights at local markets.
“The ballot box will decide,” Otimgiw said, dismissing his challengers.
Torch Media Africa
