Kampala, Uganda | The National Unity Platform (NUP) has cleared seven candidates from Lango subregion to contest in the 2026 parliamentary elections, in a move seen as a bold step towards expanding the party’s presence in northern Uganda.
The successful vetting took place on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, at NUP headquarters in Kamwokya, Kampala, and was met with jubilation from both aspirants and their supporters.
The approved candidates are David Galla Okullo (Oyam North), Omang Emmanuel (Kole South), Edam Edward (Kole North), Ageno Harriet (Woman MP, Dokolo District), Enyum Denise (Kioga County, Amolatar), Enyang Churchill (Northern Region MP for Persons with Disabilities), and Otim Maxwell (Otuke County).
The development marks a significant shift from the 2021 general elections, when NUP fielded only a handful of candidates in Lango and failed to secure any parliamentary seats.
The region has traditionally been dominated by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC).
David Galla Okullu, who is seeking to represent Oyam North, said the clearance reflected the party’s growing influence in Lango.
He argued that NUP’s policies were rooted in development and aligned with the aspirations of ordinary Ugandans.
He added that the party was now better positioned to challenge the long-standing dominance of rival political forces in the region.
He said that the people of Lango deserved a new chapter in leadership and urged voters to support NUP candidates in the forthcoming elections.
Party officials described the exercise as part of a broader strategy to strengthen NUP’s structures in northern Uganda and to ensure competitive representation across the country.
Analysts say the entry of vetted NUP candidates could reshape the political dynamics in Lango, where loyalty has historically swung between the NRM and UPC.
With 2026 fast approaching, attention will now turn to how the party mobilises grassroots support in a region where it previously struggled to make electoral gains.
