UPC’s Otuko Apio beats Engola in Oyam County North by-election

Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party candidate Eunice Otuko Apio has been declared the winner of the Oyam County North by-elections.

Otuko Apio will replace Col (Rtd) Charles Okello Engola, who was in May shot dead by his body guard Wilson Sabiiti.

Otuko Apio was declared winner by the Oyam District Returning Officer Richard Onoba. She garnered 15,718 votes defeating her closest rival Samuel Engola Okello of National Resistance Movement (NRM) who got 15,161 votes.

Freddy Newton Okello of Forum for Democratic Change was third with 714 votes followed by  Daniel Okello, National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate who got 403 votes .

31,996 voters participated in the elections out of the 90,733 registered voters from the 167 polling stations.

Otuko said that the win came as a surprise following cases of violence and vote stuffing.

She called on the other candidates to join hands for the development of Oyam North.

However, Engola Okello Samuel said he is yet to study the results and issue a statement.

Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi, the Electoral Commission Chairperson said that the exercise was peaceful except a few incidences that were reported.

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