Lira City, Uganda – Senior NRM cadre and Lira City Female Workers Representative, Sarah Awor Angweri, has strongly criticized NRM members who attended a UPC event at Lira Mayor’s Garden on Saturday February 1, 2025, attributing such actions to disunity within the party.
Speaking at Gracious Palace Hotel today Monday 3rd February 2025, Awor expressed disappointment over the presence of key NRM figures at the opposition gathering, calling for discipline and unity within the ruling party.
The UPC event, led by Minister for Gender, Labour, and Social Development Betty Amongi Akena, saw attendance from notable figures, including Lira City West MP Sedrick Obong Eyit, Alebtong LC V Chairperson David Kennedy Odongo, Amolatar District LCV Chairperson Geoffrey Ocen Kiring, among others.
Surprisingly, some NRM members were also present at the event, raising eyebrows about their political alignment.
Among them were Lango Cultural Institution Speaker Willy Omodo Omodo, NRM Treasurr for Lira City Geoffrey Etwop, Senior Presidential Advisor Francis Okello Opio Danomabor, Harriet Apolot NRM mobilizer, among others.
Their attendance has fueled speculation about internal divisions within the ruling party.
Reacting to these developments, Sarah Awor Angweri demanded accountability from NRM members who attended the UPC function.
“Those who attended must clarify whether they have defected or were merely guests. If they have left, they should declare it openly,” she stated.
Awor, who declared her intention to contest for Lira City Woman MP last year under the NRM ticket, reaffirmed her commitment to the party.
“We have seen disunity within NRM structures in Lira City. We cannot allow confusion and betrayal to define us. We must stand firm and defend our party,” she asserted.
Adding to Awor’s concerns, Daniel Okello, Lira City West Division Speaker and NRM Youth Leader, criticized what he called “weak leadership” within NRM in Lira.
“It is shameful that some of our members are attending opposition events. This shows a lack of coordination within our ranks,” he said.
Okello reminisced about the strong NRM mobilization efforts under Sam Engola, lamenting that the current state of affairs had left the party vulnerable.
“We need a unifier like Sarah Awor Angweri to bring us together,” he emphasized.
He also discouraged President Museveni from interfering in the rivalry between Betty Amongi and Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, urging the party to allow democracy to play out.
“There are many capable NRM candidates for Lira City Woman MP. The voters will decide,” Okello noted.
The political landscape in Lira City is shifting rapidly, with three strong contenders emerging for the Woman MP seat:
1. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng (NRM) – The incumbent and Minister of Health.
2. Betty Amongi (UPC) – A veteran politician with ministerial influence.
3. Sarah Awor Angweri (NRM) – A long-time party mobilizer calling for NRM unity.
With NRM members seemingly divided and UPC making aggressive moves to regain dominance in Lira, the 2026 elections promise to be one of the most hotly contested in the city’s history.
Awor’s latest call for unity is a signal that internal party discipline will play a crucial role in determining the NRM’s success in the upcoming polls.
