Acon wants better deal for sports

KAMPALA. Julius Acon, the newly-elected Member of Parliament for Otuke County, wants government to put more emphasis on development of sports. The former world junior athletics champion says the sports sector can bring billions of money into the economy if fully developed like is the case in other countries.
“It seems as a country we haven’t realized how sports can develop this country,” Acon, who trounced former minister Omara Atubo and six others in the hotly-contested Parliamentary race, told Sunday Monitor on phone.
“When I get to Parliament, I will try to open government eyes so they can see what we have been missing. I want the habit of national teams failing to make trips because of lack of funding to stop,” added the former middle distance runner.

“Sports changed my life. I believe it can change lives of many more youth if we invest heavily as government. Parliament will also be a platform for me to reach out to local and international corporate bodies to come and support our struggling sector.”
Acon, contesting on the ruling party, NRM ticket, had predicted to win by over 80 per cent but the race proved tighter for him.

He managed 11,409 votes translating to 38.7 per cent. Former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Atubo, garnered 4,340 votes (14.72 %) while Paul Omara amassed 5,569 (18.89%).
Acon said all the other candidates were working to bring him down but the voters decided otherwise. “I have done so many things here that’s why I was sure of winning. The hospital I built alone and the ambulance I purchased recently have saved so many lives,” noted the 39-year-old.

Contracted to kit manufacturers Nike, Acon still competes for charity. Last year, he competed in a charity run in Asutralia and raised $105,000 (about Shs348m) for the Acon Foundation. Acon is arguably Uganda’s best ever middle distance runner. He won 1,500m gold at the 1994 World Junior Championships and added All Africa Games bronze over the same distance a year later. He competed at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.
In 2014, he attempted to stand for the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) presidency but was locked out of the race by the incumbent, Dominic Otucet.

OTUKE COUNTY RESULTS
NAME VOTES %
ADAM MAKMOT KIBWANGA (IND) 1589 5.39
JULIUS ACON BUA (NRM) 11409 38.7%
DANIEL OMARA ATUBO (IND) 4340 14.72%
RICHARD ENEN OKELLO (UPC) 2582 8.76%
OGWAL JACINTO (IND) 1659 5.63%
COLLINS OKU OLENG (IND) 2334 7.92%
PAUL OMARA (IND) 5569 18.89%

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