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As Uganda approaches the 2026 general elections, a wave of political realignment is unfolding across the country. One of the more notable developments is the announcement by Gender Minister Betty Amongi of her intention to shift her political base from Oyam South to Lira City, where she aims to contest against her cabinet colleague, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Lira City incumbent Woman Member of Parliament and Minister of Health.
The front-page headline of the Weekend New Vision on Saturday, 22nd March, signaled an opportunity for clarity regarding Amongi’s decision; however, the ensuing explanation proved underwhelming, revealing motivations that appear to prioritize personal legacy over public interest.
Amongi’s given justification raises serious questions—not just about intent, but about what it says for the future of leadership in Lira City. In the extensive New Vision interview, Amongi emphasized family heritage, marriage obligations, and the legacy of her husband’s father, former President Dr. Apollo Milton Obote as central motivations for her move. While no one questions her right to contest, the rationale she presents leans more on symbolism than substance.
Lira City does not need a legacy project. It needs leadership anchored on service delivery, policy competence, and transformative vision.
Dr. Jane Aceng represents precisely that. A seasoned public health professional whose national profile continues to rise, given her calm demeanor, steady hand, and science-driven approach to the country’s health related challenges that have earned her widespread respect.
As a first-term MP, with reference to Amongi’s five-terms, Dr Aceng has prioritized healthcare access, local empowerment, and national attention for Lango—a feat many seasoned politicians struggle to match.
The idea that a woman must shift her political base because she is “a wife” and needs to tend to her husband’s family home is not only outdated. It’s deeply problematic. Amongi’s framing politicizes and, arguably, weaponizes womanhood—suggesting that a woman’s leadership role is an extension of her marital responsibilities rather than her own merit, qualifications, or vision.
These sentiments undermine decades of progress toward women’s empowerment and reinforces the very stereotypes Uganda has been working to dismantle. That this is uttered by the head of the Gender ministry is particularly disturbing.
Leadership is not about where you’re married, or whose daughter-in-law you are. Rather, it is about what you bring to the table. This time, Amongi’s record is not in question, but her decision to challenge a fellow woman leader, based on family and clan obligations and indeed an ego-trip of sorts; and this must be scrutinized. That she calls herself Queen of Lango is further an attestation to the skewed thinking of this political scientist.
Voters in Lira City should ask themselves: Do we want a representative who is here to serve the people, or one who is here to build or protect a legacy? The difference is not just political—it’s generational.
Let us reward competence, not convenience. Let us support women who lead with impact, not those who reduce their leadership to cultural obligation or power trips. In this election, Dr. Jane Aceng deserves not only a second term—she deserves our respect, our support, and a renewed mandate to continue the work she has only just begun.
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