Africa-Press – Uganda. The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Nakawa West Member of Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has hailed the late Ngora District Woman Member of Parliament, Stella Apolot Isodo, as a principled democrat and fearless advocate for the people of Ngora and Uganda at large.
Ssenyonyi made the remarks during a special plenary sitting of Parliament on Wednesday in which legislators convened to pay tribute to the late MP, who passed away on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Kampala Hospital, where she had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit while awaiting surgery after a short illness.“On behalf of the Opposition in Parliament and on my own behalf, I extend our deepest condolences to her husband, children, the people of Ngora, and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party,” he said.
Ssenyonyi described Isodo’s death at the age of 51 as tragic and deeply painful, noting that it comes at a time when the country is still recovering from a highly contentious electoral period marked by killings, abductions, torture, and widespread fear among citizens who dared to express themselves democratically.Ssenyonyi praised Isodo as a leader whose political life was guided by principle rather than convenience.
“Isodo was no politician of convenience. She was an opposition leader of conviction, an agriculturalist, and a dedicated member of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture who consistently championed the concerns of farmers, women, and the youth,” he said.
Ssenyonyi noted that her leadership was defined by integrity, courage, and a deep connection with her constituents, qualities that earned her respect across political divides.
According to Ssenyonyi, the late MP was a gentle but resolute leader who believed in a democratic Uganda where the rule of law prevails.
“She desired to see a truly democratic state a Uganda where no one is above the law, where institutions work, and where the voice of the people is respected through the ballot,” he said.
He added that Isodo strongly opposed leaders who seek to cling to power at all costs, regardless of the consequences to democracy and national cohesion.
Parliament convened the special sitting following the announcement of Isodo’s passing by Speaker of Parliament Anitah Among, who broke the news through her social media platform X (formerly Twitter) revealing that the legislator had been battling a short illness.
Before her death, Isodo had received treatment at Doctors Plaza in Soroti and had travelled to India last year for specialised medical care, returning to Uganda during the campaign period despite her deteriorating health.
Born on October 25, 1974, Isodo was elected Ngora District Woman MP on the FDC ticket in 2021, after emerging victorious in the party primaries in August 2020. An agriculturalist by profession, she became a respected voice on issues affecting women, agriculture, and rural livelihoods.
Before her passing, Isodo had been campaigning to retain her parliamentary seat, although her efforts were frequently disrupted by ill health. In the most recent elections, the Ngora District Woman MP seat was won by Pedun Josephine of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) with 17,010 votes, followed by Christine Abeja, the Democratic Party (DP)-backed candidate, who polled 12,152 votes, while Isodo came third with 11,334 votes.
She is survived by her husband, Samuel Isodo, a lawyer, and their three children: Joanne Apio, Arnold Isodo, and Allan Bill Okiror.
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