FDC President Amuriat Finishes Fourth in Kanyum MP Race

The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president, Patrick Amuriat has suffered a humiliating defeat in the recently concluded general elections.

Amuriat who in 2021 contested for president, was this time contesting to represent Kanyum county, Kumi district in parliament.

The election was won by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Peter Opolot Okwalinga who garnered 11,558 votes.

Okwalinga’s main challenger, Vincent Orena who stood as an independent candidate polled 6,018 votes.

Patrick Saul Kedi (independent) came number three with 4,608 votes.

Amuriat obtained the fourth position with 3,441 votes in the area that has for decades been described as FDC stronghold.

Joel Adupa (independent) came number five with 441 votes.

Kumi district returning officer Okello Geoffrey Jensen declared NRM candidate winner of the contest in an opposition stronghold.

“Accordingly, as Returning Officer for Kumi Electoral District and in accordance with Section 77(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap. 177, I declare Opolot Okwalinga Simon Peter who has obtained the largest number of votes, to be the elected candidate for Kanyum county Constituency Kumi Electoral District,” said Okello as he declared Opolot winner of the contest.

The opposition particularly the FDC has for decades dominated Teso politics, with the electorate massively voting not only in favor of opposition parliamentary candidates but also at the presidential level.

In the 2021 presidential elections, Amuriat who was the FDC candidate at the time obtained the largest number of his votes from Teso.

He was later accused by the FDC founding father and jailed opposition leader, Dr Kizza Besigye of running presidential campaigns on funds from President Yoweri Museveni.

Amuriat would later sit with Museveni in an Inter Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) meeting – a move he had ruled out before Besigye accusations.

NRM win is seen as another effort by the party to gain support in different parts of the country that have traditionally supported the opposition.