Alfred Okwonga, the mayor for Gulu City, is a political theorist, not a politician; he knows which button to touch on Monday, January 2nd 2026. For the first time, he called for the Northern Uganda Club press fraternity on tete-ate. He did it as the sitting head of state for the Acholi Sub Region, summoning media not for a press briefing, but to seek advice.
GULU CITY-MONDAY FEB. 2ED 2026.
By Okumu Livingstone Langol, Our Correspondent
My advice was given to him, among others, that he should not attempt to challenge the just-marred January 15, 2026, General and Presidential election, because the Awany’s family has their vested interest, besides that, there is a constraint in the rule of law, Ugandan jurisprudence is an arm of the deep state which is being control of extended monolithic.
Second advice to Alfred Okwonga was that the January 31st 2026, celebration in Kaunda ground was not an NRM celebration, but an Awany military might celebration. Eulogy was poured on and on by NUMEC press.
Okwonga’s address to the press,
I,, Okwonga, thank the voters who voted for me, about 9,000 voters who decided to vote for me. I don’t have a personal grievance. I am very happy. When I have been asking you to votes me.
Therefore, during Election Day, January 15, on the eve of the election, money changes hand, pity things like salt, soap, and sugar were given at your doorstep, and the ballot boxes were stuffed by my opponent. I have witnessed many people who can attest to this.
“My role, I am one of the people who want to encourage individuals to work for development for our people to achieve middle class statues, because in the 1960s Uganda’s GDP was …. All teachers in the country, all Agricultural extension workers, and the police officers and Prison officers were in the middle-class status.”
The issues that came from NRM SG, Richard Todwong, that I was not straight about my candidature for the mayoral for Gulu City in the January 15 parliamentary and Presidential polls, which is why he decided to back no NRM candidate. Julius Achire Labeja Gunya, who is an independent candidate, is not true.
On the 16th September 2025, I went to Canada and met with Gunya Labeja, and we took photos in his office, because I wanted him to stand as one of Councilor Five, so that I could be appointed to head the department in the Gulu City Council as part of long-term grooming.
On April 14, 2025, when Richard Todwong called all aspirants, NRM candidates wanted to show interest in standing in the January 15 election. Todwong introduced Julius Achire Labeja Gunya as one of the Mayor candidates for the Gulu City race. Also, Gunya expressed his interest in the Gulu City mayor position.
What Richard Todwong, the NRM SG, says was blackmail; he has a vested interest, as an Acholi leader, he has personal issues for Gulu City, and for the family of Awany. Before the election, three of us met: Richard Todwong and Gen. Otema Awany. I told them that I would be standing for mayorship as the NRM incumbent, as we had agreed.
They also convened others interest person who had an interest in standing for Gulu City as mayor. I also met President Museveni, and he asked me if I was standing for the Gulu City mayorship, to which I told the president that I was standing. President Museveni knows that.
“What NRM Richard Todwong and General Otema are telling is a scapegoat, they wanted to convene president that I have no interest in standing for Gulu City mayor, its blackmail.”
I have indeed written a letter of resignation, and I gave it to Gulu Electoral Returning Officer, because Todwong had disowned me. When I wrote a letter of resignation to his office, why did he not reply?
