By Nelly Otto
LIRA CITY political climatic topsy-turvy is already on motion, meaning what ordinarily would not be an issue right now is the talk of the town with everyone giving ‘expertise’ opinions and guidance on the likely outcome of the political clash between two political friends-turned foes.
While Ministers Betty Amongi (Gender, Labour and Social Development) and Dr Jane Ruth Aceng (Health) seriously know what they want and each is determined to pursue the letter, supporters are running hither and thither with endless conspiracy theories.
Until now, little is known what could have triggered the current political belligerence between the two powerful female politicians from Lango who ought to be referring to each other as ‘comrade’, or ‘sister’.
Apart from a snapshot that was posted on the “Lango Onotte WhatsApp Group” a couple of weeks ago in which Amongi made reference to an inside cabinet meeting where Aceng reportedly assured President Yoweri Museveni that soon and very soon UPC will be in the political dustbin.
According to the snapshot that was quickly deleted, Amongi took the innuendo to mean a direct attack to sweep her and the husband Jimmy Akena the Lira East MP/UPC President, off the political kraal of Lango.
Aceng has not commented on the claims, at least not in any public forum, but her actions and gestures display the character of an equally determined and focused person who knows what she is doing plus the corresponding challenges ahead.
Like Chinese Military General, Strategist, Philosopher and Writer, Sun Tzu said in one of the lines in his Art of the War Book, “if you know the enemy and yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle…”.
Both politicians are no strangers to the above-oft quoted military axiom which has a lot of relevance to any leader, more so politicians who are always surrounded by opponents.
The two have a lot in common in the sense that none of them has ever lost an election.Amongi shot to the political arena as a Pan African youth leader before diving into the mainstream as the Apac Woman MP.
From there she crossed to her district where she became the Oyam District Woman MP, knocking out the once very powerful retired secondary school head teacher Beatrice Lagada.
Without wasting time, Among dimmed the political lamp of Issha Otto-Amiza from Oyam South where she is a two term incumbent.
Now mid-term, the daughter in law of the former President Dr Apollo Milton Obote is in another daring move, this time away from the rural setting to Lira City, the political and spiritual capital of Lango sub region.
While some may view Aceng as a new entrant into the political arena, it’s risky to dismiss her owing to the fact that she proved critics wrong by winning comfortably in her maiden assault.
It should be recalled that when she declared intention to contest for the Lira City, quite a number of ‘political experts’, downplayed her candidature as heading for a thud.
The critics encouraged her to remain in her civil service (health) lane arguing that the political terrain in Lango was very slippery for a person of her caliber and that it was going to end in tears.
Even President Yoweri Museveni in one of the national televised addresses during the infamous lockdown was not comfortable saying he would still reappoint her without necessarily being an elected MP.
This was after an uproar during the launch of face masks in Aromo Sub County in July 2020 when Aceng who was accused of flouting the SOPs put in place by her ministry to avert the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
Aceng has risen through the rank and file to the pinnacle of the health ministry where most people credit her for many tangible reforms and success stories in the country’s health sector.
So the question of who of the two takes the Lira City Woman MP trophy in 2026 remains begging until the Electoral Commission will announce the winner, depending on many factors, including how each plays the game.
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