By Nancy Atim: Across the Lango sub-region, voters from different walks of life shared their expectations for the newly elected Members of Parliament, reflecting common priorities rooted in everyday realities.
During the January 15th general election, voters in the Lango sub-region elected a total of 30 Members of Parliament to serve in the12th Parliament of Uganda (2026–2031), with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) emerging dominant, followed by the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party and one Independent.
According to the declared results by the different electoral areas, NRM secured 18 parliamentary seats, UPC won 11, while one seat went to an Independent candidate.
As the nation prepares to witness the work of the 12th Parliament starting with the swearing-in of the newly elected legislators scheduled from 13th to 15th May, 2026, attention will turn from party tallies to performance.
Speaking to different voters across the Lango sub-region, expectations are high around service delivery, youth employment, infrastructure, health, education, and post-conflict socio-economic recovery, including expanding government programmes such as the Youth Livelihood Programme, Parish Development Model (PDM), and Emyooga, among others.
The newly elected MPs will now be judged less by party colors and more by their ability to articulate and deliver on the region’s priorities between 2026 and 2031. In Lira City, voters re-elected Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero (NRM) as their Woman Member of Parliament. Lira City West re-elected Cedrick Ebong Eyit (UPC), while Lira City East sent a new face, Denis Alyela Omodi (NRM).
From the market stalls, Florence Aciro, a vendor and mother of five, said her vote was influenced by the condition of public health facilities.
She expects MPs, especially the Lira City Woman MP-elect, Aceng Ocero, to push for better-equipped health centers at Lira Regional Referral Hospital and other health facilities across the region, particularly regarding maternal services, noting that many women still struggle to access timely medical care.
“Having cast my vote for Dr. Aceng, I believe to see more input in our referral hospital, especially those geared towards saving expectant mothers,” she added.
From Dokolo, a district annually hit by heavy floods, Sarah Akello, a subsistence farmer, said women want practical agricultural economic empowerment.
Dokolo District voters re-elected Sarah Nyankori (UPC) as Woman MP, Vincent Opito (UPC) for Dokolo South, while Dokolo North voted for Ogwal Joseph Jones (NRM). Akello now expects the three elected MPs to advocate for more affordable agricultural inputs, access to credit, and storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses caused by floods.
“Year in, year out, we experience deadly floods due to heavy rains which spoil food crops and cause displacement or loss of animals,” she added.
In Apac District, Margaret Auma, a primary school teacher, said education remains her biggest concern. She wants MPs to lobby for more teachers in government schools to boost performance, improve school infrastructure, and provide bursaries for children from vulnerable households.
Janet Ocen, a small business owner in Alebtong, said women entrepreneurs expect MPs to support skills training and link local businesses to markets to enable their contribution to economic growth. She further noted that land rights and household income security are key issues for women, calling on elected MPs to push for the formulation and promotion of policies that protect women’s access to land and livelihoods.
Otuke District, whose MPs were all re-elected and which frequently witnesses conflicts linked to cattle rustling from the neighboring Karamoja region, called on its leaders to streamline water and sanitation facilities. Abeja Susan Jolly (NRM) will continue to represent women in the 12th Parliament, alongside Acon Julius Bua (NRM) for Otuke East and Paul Omara (NRM) for Otuke County.
With all three re-elected, Ruth Aber, a mother of four, emphasized water and sanitation, saying MPs must prioritize clean water projects to reduce the burden on women and girls who walk long distances daily.
“Our Members of Parliament must prioritize water and sanitation. Most of our girls drop out due to sanitation issues. Some girls even walk long distances to fetch water, which later affects their attendance at school,” said Aber.
Meanwhile, among the youth, expectations centered on employment, skills, and inclusion. In Lira City, Mercy Ayo, a 24-year-old female graduate, said the youth voted with the hope of jobs. She expects MPs to champion skills-based training, digital opportunities, and private-sector partnerships that can absorb educated youth.
“We need more skilling hubs in Lira City because our city has many unemployed and unskilled young people. Creation of more skills at the different skilling hubs will help bring about creativity, thus reducing the high level of unemployment,” she added.
From Oyam, Daniel Oryem, a boda-boda rider in Myene, said MPs must improve roads and regulate youth funds under government programmes such as PDM, Emyooga, and the Youth Livelihood Programme.
“Youths have embraced PDM and Emyooga, which have enabled them to engage in different projects. However, our biggest problem is poor roads, which make it difficult to transport our goods, especially crops and livestock,” he emphasized.
Similarly, Akello Christine, a young female entrepreneur in Dokolo, expects MPs to support youth-led agribusiness by lobbying for more startup capital, extension services, and market access.
“Now that the government is helping young people with startup funds under PDM and Emyooga, our MPs should connect us to bigger markets where we can sell our food crops and animals,” said Akello.
In Kole District, Isaac Paul Laker, a youth artisan, said inclusion matters, urging elected MPs to involve youth in planning and implementation of development projects.
“Most youth are approached during campaign periods and later left out in the planning and implementation of projects that should bring the future generation closer to government programmes,” he added.
In Oyam District, James Okello, a maize farmer, said MPs must prioritize feeder roads to ease the transport of agricultural produce. “Our roads are very bad. When it rains, even big trucks fail to reach stores to collect produce like maize, soya, and beans,” Okello said.
In the same district, community elder Patrick Odong said visibility and accountability are critical. He expects MPs to hold regular constituency meetings and explain their work in Parliament, warning that silence after elections breeds mistrust.
“This time around, our elected MPs must return to us for accountability. In the just-concluded elections, most MPs failed because after the previous elections, none returned to engage with us,” he said.
As the curtain rises on Uganda’s 12th Parliament, the message from Lango is clear and consistent: representation must translate into results. From better-equipped health facilities and flood-resilient agriculture to youth jobs, passable roads, clean water, and accountable leadership. Between 2026 and 2031, the newly elected MPs will be measured not by their campaign promises, but by their presence on the ground and ability to turn Parliament into a tool that addresses Lango’s everyday struggles. For many voters, the real election begins now, one defined by delivery, inclusion, and trust rebuilt through action.
