NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi has reportedly issued instructions to his trusted mobilisers in the Lango sub-region to quietly but firmly back Betty Amongi in the race for Lira City Woman Member of Parliament. The effort is being coordinated by former Oyam South MP Isha Otto Amiza and NUP mayoral candidate Patrick Ogwang, a recent NRM dropout who only switched sides after failing to secure internal party backing for a district chairperson bid.
The contest has drawn national attention because Amongi is facing Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng, the sitting Woman MP and a powerful NRM figure in Lira City. Although both serve in the same cabinet, their rivalry is intense. Amongi’s open support for President Museveni has further blurred political lines, especially after she went against her husband, UPC president Jimmy Akena, who had urged party members to oppose Museveni in the elections.
Kyagulanyi’s move has stunned many, given that Amongi has never hidden her hostility toward him and is actively campaigning for Museveni’s re-election. Despite this, NUP insiders say Kyagulanyi views Aceng as a far stronger Museveni loyalist and believes her defeat would weaken the ruling party’s grip on Lira City, even if the beneficiary is not from NUP.
When Kyagulanyi recently toured Lira City, he openly criticised Aceng, hoping to attract UPC supporters to his side. The plan did not unfold as expected. Akena noticeably distanced himself from the rally, a move widely interpreted as a silent protest against Kyagulanyi’s close working relationship with Isha Otto, a veteran politician who has long challenged Akena’s authority within UPC.
Otto’s presence has remained controversial. He has been locked in a bitter rivalry with Betty Amongi since 2011, when she defeated him in the Oyam South parliamentary race. Since then, Otto has unsuccessfully tried several times to reclaim the seat, deepening the personal and political animosity between them.
In Oyam District, Amongi maintains strong ties with Nelson Adeya, the UPC chairman, who is himself a long-time enemy of Otto. Their feud dates back to 2007 during a by-election triggered by the death of MP Okullo Epak. This history has made Kyagulanyi’s endorsement even more sensitive among local power brokers.
Within Amongi’s campaign, reactions to Kyagulanyi’s support are mixed, with many viewing it as unnecessary and even uncomfortable. Some supporters argue that NUP lacks a solid support base in Lira City and question how a party without candidates in key parliamentary seats can influence a decisive electoral contest.
One insider in Amongi’s camp dismissed the endorsement as politically meaningless, saying Kyagulanyi is simply trying to associate himself with an established force in Lira politics. According to the source, NUP’s absence on the ground makes its backing symbolic at best, with little impact on the final outcome of the tight race between Betty Amongi and Jane Ruth Aceng.
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