Lira District, Uganda – Senior Presidential Advisor and Erute South MP hopeful, Sam Engola, received a heroic welcome on Friday February 14, 2025 from residents of Abany Village in Bar Subcounty, as he met with voters ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Community members praised him for his past contributions and expressed hope that his return to Parliament would bring much-needed development.
The LCI Chairperson of Abany, Otim Charles, expressed delight at Engola’s visit, emphasizing that he is a “tested and trusted leader.”
He highlighted the struggles the community has faced in Engola’s absence from Parliament, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, clean water, and education.
A youth representative hailed Sam Engola as one of the few leaders in Lango who selflessly help people. He grouped Engola among leaders such as Otuke East MP Julius Bua Acon, Lira City Woman MP & Minister for Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, and Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua, describing them as politicians with “a Godly heart of helping the community.”
The event also featured performances from cultural folk groups, whose songs voiced the frustrations of Erute South residents.
One song likened the constituency’s 10-year stagnation to “an abortion, which is more painful than normal delivery,” suggesting that votes had been wasted on the incumbent MP. The song called for a change in leadership and massive support for Sam Engola in 2026.
LCII Abunga Parish Chairperson Onyanga Ayo assured Engola of overwhelming support in the upcoming election, raising the issue of two non-functional boreholes that have left residents struggling for clean water.
Meanwhile, Ogwang Isaac, the chairperson of Myek Women Farmers Cooperative Society Limited, shared the cooperative’s remarkable growth since its founding in 2022.
What started with 30 members had expanded to 648 members, including women, nine persons with disabilities, and men.
The cooperative, with it’s machine which processes maize into flour, aims to acquire another machine for refining soya and sunflower into cooking oil.
Ogwang appealed to Engola to help them access better markets for their produce and facilitate exposure visits to modern farms in other regions.
Opio Geoffrey Belmos, NRM secretary for Bar Subcounty, urged locals to vote for Engola, emphasizing the need for value addition in agriculture to increase household incomes.
Former LCIII contestant Tom Edward Lemo, who is seeking the position again in 2026, called for political unity, asking opponents not to extend their dislike for him to Engola.
He accused incumbent MP Jonathan Odur of failing to support fellow UPC leaders like LCIII Chairperson Thomas Akaa, stating that Engola, unlike Odur, does not discriminate based on party affiliation.
In his address, Sam Engola acknowledged a key challenge facing Lira District—the division between Erute South and Erute North following the creation of Lira City.
He revealed that he had engaged the Minister of Local Government about creating a new district and had already presented the matter before the district council. He assured the people that discussions with the President would continue.
Engola emphasized the need for peaceful elections, urging residents to avoid politics of hatred. He cited the decline in education standards in Lira District, particularly in Agali Subcounty, which recently performed poorly in PLE.
He noted that during his time as MP, he had motivated teachers and secured scholarships for 305 students, and he had recently facilitated scholarships for 12 more students who did Human Medicine.
Engola urged parents to utilize government schools like Bar Senior Secondary School, instead of struggling to send their children to distant schools in Kampala.
He also promised to restore the two broken boreholes, complete unfinished churches, and work towards bringing electricity to the area.
He highlighted the importance of government programs like PDM, citing a successful woman in Amach whose achievements under the program were recognized by President Yoweri Museveni.
He encouraged people to support NRM and President Museveni, whom he described as “a leader who cares.”
To demonstrate his commitment to the Myek Cooperative Society, Engola contributed UGX 6 million, registered as a member, and encouraged the cooperative to use the funds as a revolving loan.
Engola assured the crowd that his leadership would be inclusive, stating, “The boreholes I repair, the roads I construct, the churches I build will benefit everyone—NRM and opposition alike.”
He vowed to complete unfinished projects before elections, ensuring that the community sees tangible progress.
As the 2026 elections draw closer, Engola’s message of unity, development, and service delivery is resonating with the people of Erute South.
