2026 general elections: Acholi politicians urged to prioritise fighting poverty

GULU CITY, October 8, 2025 — The Paramount Chief of Acholi, Rwot David Onen Acana II, has called on all candidates intending to contest in the 2026 general elections to centre their manifestos on tackling household poverty.

Rwot Acana made the remarks recently at his palace during a courtesy visit from members of the newly formed People’s Front for Freedom [PFF] party. The PFF delegation had sought the Paramount Chief’s blessings as they prepare to begin campaigns next month.

He urged aspiring candidates to prioritise working with cooperative societies involved in agricultural production saying this would enhance people’s livelihoods.

“As a cultural institution, this year we are mobilising the masses in all 57 chiefdoms of Acholi to engage in production,” Acana stated. “We are preaching and advocating for wealth creation and are partly supporting smaller cooperative societies.”

The Paramount Chief also stressed the importance of unity among political leaders in the region, warning that self-interest and fragmentation are hindering productivity.

“We should avoid working in isolation with selfish interests that divert focus from production,” he added.

Rwot Acana further urged Acholi leaders to discourage the continued sale of land. Instead, he said land should be used as a productive asset to build wealth through crop cultivation and livestock farming.

He also appealed to candidates to advocate for and prioritise attracting investors capable of establishing small-scale factories at the sub-county level. According to him, this would help boost local cooperatives engaged in agriculture and enable them to generate more income.

“So far, we have supported over 10 smaller cooperatives across the districts in Acholi financially and through skills development, knowledge sharing, and financial management. We are encouraging them to embrace commercial farming,” he noted.

Additionally, the Paramount Chief encouraged local cooperatives to begin prioritising cash crops such as coffee to boost household incomes and create job opportunities for the youth.

Betty Aol Ocan, Gulu City Woman Member of Parliament and Vice Chairperson of the PFF, said the party members visited the Acholi Cultural Institution to seek blessings ahead of the official launch of their campaigns for the 2026 general election.

“Our visit was to seek guidance on how, as leaders, we can work together to protect our land, improve education, and enhance health service delivery, among other priorities,” Aol said.

Mose Abonga, the PFF flag bearer for Division Mayor of Laroo-Pece, stated: “I will continue working with cooperative societies in my division and plan to support them to embrace commercial farming and production.”

Meanwhile, Gift Aber, the National Resistance Movement [NRM] flag bearer for the same position, while speaking separately to this reporter, said she would use her office to lobby government to address issues affecting local cooperatives to ensure their success.

She also pledged to support child mothers by offering vocational training to help them become financially independent.

“Furthermore, I will use my office as Division Mayor to profile all cooperatives in my division to ease lobbying efforts on their behalf. I know my capability in lobbying, so this will be my top priority,” she added.

On his part, Geoffrey Otime, the incumbent and Democratic Party [DP] flag bearer for the Laroo-Pece Division mayoral race, said he will continue supporting cooperatives, especially as local revenue collection improves.

Otime also promised to engage the council to allocate funds for building the capacity of cooperative societies, describing them as a vital engine for production and development in the region.

https://thecooperator.news/museveni-challenges-youth-to-make-use-of-pdm-to-fight-poverty/

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