NUP to back Alice Alaso in Serere County by-election

The development has been announced today by the party spokesperson, Joel Ssenyonyi and Lina Zedriga, the party’s chairperson-in-charge of Northern Uganda. They say the decision is grounded on the need to unite as forces of change.

Joel Obore and Jerry Okello both former aspirants on the NUP ticket have confirmed their withdrawal from the race, asking their voters to rally behind Alaso.

Last week, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) rejected calls for a joint candidate in the Serere by election and unveiled Emmanuel Eratu as its flag bearer.

The Electoral Commission has since set Thursday, February 23, 2023, as the polling date for the Serere by-election.

The seat fell vacant following the death of the area Member of Parliament Patrick Okabe in a road accident.

On the morning of 19 December 2022, Parliament communications director Chris Obore announced the death of Okabe and his wife following a fatal accident at Naboa in Budaka district on the Mbale-Iganga highway.

Obore also said the driver too was left in critical condition.

Different members of parliament described Okabe as a man who was full of wisdom and who thought through everything before he took action.

“Okabe who was full of wisdom. He older than some of us so we considered him our senior. He would guide us on number of issues quietly despite not talking a lot sessions, He always thought through things before taking action,” one of the members of parliament said.