Oyam North By-election: Museveni Says It is ‘Logical’ to Vote Late Engola’s Son

President Yoweri Museveni has called on locals in Oyam North to throw their weight behind Samuel Okello Engola during Thursday July 6th, 2023, polls.

Samuel Engola, son of the deceased State Minister for Labour Charles Okello Engola, is vying for a Member of Parliament on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party ticket. He seeks to replace his father who was killed in May 2023 by his bodyguard.

Engola Jr will compete against three other candidates from the opposition in the by-election for Oyam North. They include; Dr. Eunice Apio Otuku of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Daniel Okello of the NUP, and Freddy Newton Okello of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

While campaigning for the NRM candidate in Oyam, the NRM chairman told large crowds gathered at a rally in Iceme Subcounty that it is only logical to choose Engola Jr because he is a son to the former MP and Minister who scored highly in his constituency and region at large.

The President explained that the NRM flag bearer could have carried forte from the father and is in the best possible position to walk in his footsteps.

“For me I would go for that boy because logically I would say, maybe this boy learned from his father. Sometimes children do their own things different from their fathers but that would be his problem and not yours. If he doesn’t perform well, he is the one to blame. But as voters you will get credit for voting for the one who was near Engola. It is illogical to leave this one.” he said

The President described the Late Charles Engola as a ‘clear-headed cadre ‘of the NRM, who was ambitious, developmental, a peace leader and an example to the community.

“It is no surprise that the late was undertaking ambitious projects in his home, to serve as an example to the community as well as bring development. Okello Engola would score more than 90 percent, he scored highy if you were to mark him,” he said

Rosemary Ssenide, the NRM’s director for mobilization, expressed optimism in the party’s victory in Oyam North as locals were very receptive.

During the rally, President Museveni also received three staunch leaders from the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and district councilors who defected to NRM.