Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has won positions for both male and female regional older persons delegates for the greater Northern region to the National Council for older persons.
The elections were held at Arua School of Comprehensive Nursing in Arua City on Friday.
About 158 delegates turned up for the elections out of the expected 205 delegates from the 41 districts in Karamoja, Acholi, Lango and West Nile sub-regions.
In the male category, Watson Olet, on NRM ticket from Lango sub-region emerged as the eventual winner with 132 votes, while Dan Opima and Philliam Olubo Magara, the incumbent national delegate, all from West Nile obtained 10 votes each.
Just before the elections, the candidates were given a chance to highlight their manifestos to the elderly electorates before the final decision was made through the ballot.
While in the female category, Christine Anyak from Moroto district sailed through unopposed after Joyce Mary Mutto, the incumbent from Omoro district pulled out of the race at the last minute.
Mutto, 72, said despite having the strength to serve the older persons, she had seen Anyak as an equally competent person who could advocate for the interests of older Persons.
She said she pulled out of the race in the interest of the NRM party and quest for unity as she will be concentrating on serving the older persons at the district level as the treasurer.
Anyak, a teacher, expressed gratitude for the decision taken by her opponent to bow out of the race, saying she was more than ready to advocate the aspirations of the older persons in northern Uganda.
“My first assignment will be to unite all the older persons in the 41 districts of northern Uganda regardless of the party and ethnicity because I know almost all the older persons in this region are battling the same challenges,” Anyak assured.
She said she was concerned that majority of female older persons had been left out due to inadequate representation, a gap which she hopes to fill.
Olet said he stands for inclusiveness in care, respect, unity and development of older persons.
“I have a lot of experience working with the older persons and I have passion for service for the elderly. I am going to ensure effective representation where older persons are treated with dignity and utmost care,” he said.
Jackson Higenyi Pabire, the regional election administrator for West Nile, described the elections as generally peaceful.
According to him, they had not experienced any hiccups before, during and after the elections, which was exhibited by the smile on the faces of the older persons after the election and the defeated were quick to admit defeat.
He commended the delegates for the highest level of discipline they exhibited in the process of choosing their leaders.
In July this year, Cabinet endorsed the creation of the special interest group in which the elderly persons (60 years and above) will have five seats in Parliament to give the elderly a voice in Parliament.
