Lira, Uganda – In a passionate press briefing held earlier this week, media personality and social advocate Aceng Patricia Ogwang officially announced her intention to contest for the position of Woman Member of Parliament for Lira City in the forthcoming 2026–2031 term.
In her address, today April 24, at Pacific Hotel, Aceng outlined a three-fold vision built on the pillars of economic empowerment, infrastructural development, and inclusive governance, stating that her ambition is rooted in the desire to uplift the lives of the people—especially the underserved and low-income earners within Lira City.
She emphasized that her campaign would focus on reducing economic vulnerability and speaking for the voiceless.
Aceng said she was motivated by the daily struggles faced by the ordinary people of Lira, adding that the city should belong to everyone—both the affluent and the disadvantaged.
Aceng pointed to what she called the suffocating levels of taxation levied on small-scale traders and vendors, saying that such financial pressures were undermining entrepreneurship.
She cited an example of a vendor who is required to pay 1,000 shillings per day, describing this as burdensome and unfair.
She pledged to push for tax reforms that would allow small businesses to thrive instead of suffer under rigid revenue policies.
Touching on infrastructure, she said that Lira City continued to lag behind other regional cities in terms of road expansion, signage, and traffic safety.
She remarked that the city could no longer rely solely on the USMID program for development and promised to lobby for more government-backed projects to transform the road network and reduce the rising number of accidents.
At 30 years old, Aceng said her age placed her in a unique position to bring new energy and practical solutions to Parliament.
She stressed that young leaders have fresh ideas and the endurance needed to pursue real opportunities for their communities.
If elected, she said, she would prioritize lobbying across ministries to secure development funding for Lira and the wider Lango Sub-region.
With close to a decade of experience in journalism, having served at Record TV, Rainbow FM in Nebbi, Radio Lira, and now Voice of Lango FM, Aceng said her media career had equipped her with a strong voice and deep insight into community challenges.
She added that she intends to transfer her skills from media to Parliament to amplify issues affecting Lira City more effectively.
Aceng also noted the political divisions within Lira City, referencing factions surrounding current political figures.
However, she expressed confidence in her ability to mediate and unite the opposing sides, stating that her candidacy presents a chance for a fresh start and shared progress.
She reiterated that politics should not be a cause for division but a tool for collaborative service delivery.
Though a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Aceng was quick to clarify that her decision to run was not imposed or influenced by any party machinery.
She said the vision to serve started in 2019 and that she was standing as an independent-minded candidate within the party structures.
She reaffirmed her respect for the party’s chairperson, President Yoweri Museveni, and vowed to follow the rightful channels during the nomination process.
When asked how she planned to compete against political heavyweights like Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng and Hon. Betty Amongi, she expressed confidence that the time was right for change.
She said that money and titles would not determine the outcome, but rather the passion and commitment to serve.
In her closing remarks, Acheng urged the people of Lira City to support her vision of transformative leadership. She described herself as a resilient leader who would bring light and dignity to the people if elected.
Aceng Patricia Ogwang is a media practitioner, gender advocate, and youth empowerment champion. Her community outreach work has focused on tackling gender-based violence, promoting girl-child education, and building capacity among youth and women.
She has built a solid reputation for using the media as a tool for advocacy and public engagement.
Her candidacy is expected to energize young voters and shift the tone of the Woman MP race in Lira City as the political season gains momentum,
