Africa-Press – Uganda. Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng has thrown down the political gauntlet, openly challenging Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) politician and fellow Cabinet Minister Betty Amongi to contest the Lira City Woman Member of Parliament seat in the 2026 general elections.
Speaking shortly after collecting her expression of interest forms from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, Dr. Aceng said she welcomes competition and is unfazed by Amongi’s possible candidacy.
“I am not worried about Honorable Amongi. I don’t want anyone to discourage her from standing. I want her to come and stand in Lira City,” Dr. Aceng said. “There is no one else who will discipline her, except Jane Ruth Aceng.”
Her remarks have intensified an already simmering political rivalry in Lira City, a region where the NRM and UPC have long vied for dominance.
Dr. Aceng first entered elective politics in 2021, defeating UPC’s Joy Atim Ongom with a commanding 35,000 votes to Ongom’s 12,000.
She pointed to that margin as a sign of her strong public backing.
“That shows you how much the people value and love me,” she stated.
A medical doctor and veteran public health expert, Dr. Aceng is considered one of the NRM’s most prominent figures in the Lango sub-region.
The upcoming race for Lira City Woman MP is poised to become one of the most closely watched contests of 2026 especially if it pits two Cabinet ministers against each other on rival party tickets.
With the 2026 general elections fast approaching, tensions are rising within the NRM, fueled by the growing rivalry between Ministers Amongi and Aceng.
Amongi, the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, currently serves as the MP for Oyam South.
However, she recently confirmed that she had officially relocated to Lira City and registered as a voter in Senior Quarters A, a move widely interpreted as preparation to challenge Aceng.
Her relocation has deepened political rifts in Lira.
Amongi has accused Aceng of dividing the city’s leadership and pledged to restore unity if elected.
Amongi is no stranger to switching constituencies.
She entered Parliament in 2001 as the Woman MP for Apac District, retained the seat in 2006, and, after the creation of Oyam District, won the Oyam South MP seat in 2011.
She was re-elected in both 2016 and 2021.
Now, her move to Lira City sets the stage for a high-stakes political showdown.
The NRM is reportedly struggling to manage the fallout from the growing feud between the two ministers.
During a consultation tour in Lango in September 2024, NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong acknowledged that the rivalry was creating divisions within the party and eroding grassroots support.
Despite the tensions, Dr. Aceng has reaffirmed her intention to defend her seat in 2026.
In her address to supporters, she emphasised her commitment to serving the people of Lira and expressed confidence in her performance as Woman MP.
“I am fully prepared for this race,” she said. “My record speaks for itself.”
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