UPC’s Sarah Aguti wins Dokolo Woman MP by-election

The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party candidate, Sarah Aguti has been declared the winner of the Dokolo Woman Member of Parliament by-election.

Aguti replaces Cecilia Barbara Atim Ogwal who died in January from a hospital in India. Aguti was declared winner by the Dokolo district returning officer, Erikwaine Ngobi after garnering 23,044 votes, defeating her closest opponent Janet Rose Adongo Elau of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) who got 14,001 votes.

Rosemary Austin Alwoc Ogwal of Forum for Democratic Change came third with 8,168 votes followed by Eunice Akullo Obot, an independent candidate. Harriet Ageno, the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate got 727 votes while another independent candidate Rebecca Arao came last with 439 votes.

Out of the 48,157 ballots counted, 47,169 were valid votes cast, 988 were rejected and 49 were spoilt votes. There are 95,683 registered voters in 173 polling stations across the district.

Addressing the media shortly after the declaration, Aguti who contested and lost the election twice to the late Cecilia Ogwal thanked the people of Dokolo for trusting and voting her. UPC party President Jimmy Akena described the win as a clear path for UPC come 2026.

Alwoc and her party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat conceded defeat, saying the results of a democratic process must be respected. Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi, the Electoral Commission chairperson commended the people of Dokolo for their calmness during the entire voting process saying they have set a bar for the next election exercises.

This is the second time the UPC party has won a by-election. The first was won by Eunice Apio Otuko in Oyam North in 2023.