Road to 2026: Over 10 contenders eye Commissioner Esther Afoyochan seat

By Mike Rwothomio

As time race towards the 2026 polls, the battle for Zombo Woman MP seat is getting compact.

This is imminent in the growing numbers of female contenders from every nook and cranny of Zombo District, who have publicly shown interest , in unseating the incumbent Esther Afoyochan, the back bench Commissioner of Parliament.

Afoyochan set her record straight after she joined the Highly competitive 2021 polls, unseating the then incumbent and former northern Uganda Minister Grace Freedom Kwiocwiny.

Kwiocwiny currently the senior presidential adviser, has now shifted the goal post to Ora county, taking on another elephant in the political scene and the incumbent MP Songa Biyika Lawrence, in the battle of ” you know who against who know who”.

This Publication has learnt that more than 10 Women are putting their ducks in a row to pull the plug of the incumbent Esther Afoyochan underneath, and are extensively consulting and lobbying for grassroot support from voters.

On the flip side , questions are being asked as to why the numbers has abnormally ballooned so early and too soon. This is against the backdrop that, there used to be few Women battling for the seat. In 2021 for instance, not more than five aspirants participated in both the National Resistance Movement Party primaries and general election.

And their used to be familiar names tussling it out for the seat like Former
Woman MP Grace freedom Kwiocwiny, Grace Thorach, Akumu Mavenjina amongst others.

However, the goalpost is visibly shifting to a more younger generation in their 30s, many of whom assert that they have been disoriented from the leadership for long, notwithstanding their potential to steady the ship of leadership full speed ahead.

The electoral commission recently released election road map, indicating that update of the National Voters’ Register will be in January 2025.

This has fired up many would-be contenders , who are remotely campaigning in villages in a clandestine style of ” show your face ” campaign.

This Publication has learnt that over 10 candidates most of whom are fresh in Politics, are toiling day and night to depose Commissioner Esther Afoyochan, who still enjoys full support of the current establishment ( NRM ) Party.

The pouring in of many female aspirants in the Zombo Political scene has taken many people aback, and questions are being asked on what could have compelled them to without any fear, join the highly and already commercialized political land scape.

If all goes as planned according to the electoral commission road map , elections are set for January 12 to February 9, 2026.

Of late, political aspirants including these Women throng places of public gatherings like churches, mosques, funerals amongst others to introduce themselves to the electorates.

Esther Afoyochan, the Current Woman MP , will need to work day and night to drive back in defense of her position.

Recently, at the funeral ceremony of the King of Kebu Rigangi Kingdom in Alangi sub-county, Over eight female candidates fearlessly stood up and introduced themselves to the electorates, in the presence of the incumbent Esther Afoyochan.

Afoyochan, upon witnessing the snaking queue of opponents expressing interest in her position, expressed total shock.

” What have you heard about me , what have you really heard about me, we used to struggle with people like Hon Grace freedom and Thorach, this time around , what have you really heard about me ? ” Afoyochan wondered eliciting excitements amongst hundreds of mourners drawn from different parts of the region.

She continued ” I as Esther is coming back and I thank God that you the same electorates will be the one to vote”.

Afoyochan, who still commands support from Zombo populace , commended her supporters for praying for her at a time, when she was undergoing immense pressure, over accusation of pocketing Shs 400 Million as “service award”.

In what served as a turning point, the Civil Division Judge, Dr Douglas Singiza in his August rulling later declared Afoyochan and her three colleagues innocent, giving her a breath of fresh air, rendering the controversial “service award” debate as water under the bridge

Earlier, Afoyochan tore at her opponents for solely banking on the “service award saga ” to spread unprofound rumours against her, instead of presenting their clear manifestos to the electorates.

The ruling was highly celebrated by a body of Esther’s faithfuls, some of whom went up to the extent of lashing at radio presenters and journalists, accusing them of sensationalizing and over exaggerating the debate about their candidate.

Opponents speak out

Gloria Oroma, one of the woman MP prospect for Zombo has ended her consultation at Paidha town council last week, after combing all the fifteen lower local governments of Zombo.

In an interview with this Publication, she first discouraged her grass root mobilizers and coordinators from verbal attacks and mudslinging of other political opponents.

She also expressed concerns over the apparent toxic political atmosphere in the district.

“What we realized in our movement through out the district , people are angry with the style of leadership of our people in Zombo District, the reason why I’m saying this because Im receiving some of the attacks directly which is coming as a result of displacement of anger,I’m just coming in as a new person but the displacement of anger is being directed towards me because they imagined I’m going to become like one of the people they have ever sent and not doing the will of the people of Zombo” Oroma asserted.

Topista Acamfua, another serious contender said ” people should be proud that Zombo has many educated women with full leadership potential ready to lead”

Meanwhile, Evelyn Othora, the district chairperson production committee said ” the right time will come when people will know why we are coming”

Other contenders confirmed their political interest to this Publication, but requested for privacy as they undertake their grassroot consultation silently.