Engola Junior declared winner of Oyam North NRM primaries  

The son of former Oyam North Member of Parliament, the late Charles Okello Engola has won the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primary election for Oyam North.
Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission Chairman on Saturday evening declared Mr Samuel Junior Okello  Engola as the NRM flagbearer after winning the primary election with 532 votes.
He will now tussle it Dr Eunice Apio, of the Uganda People's Congress (UPC), Mr Daniel Okello of National Unity Platform (NUP) and Ms Queen Dorothy Amolo who lost in the NRM primary election but decided to contest as an Independent candidate for Oyam North by-election.
The Electoral Commission has set June 19 and 20, 2023 as nomination dates for Oyam North by-election slated for July 4 to fill the vacant seat caused by the demise of the former State Minister of Labour, Employment and Industrial relations [Okello Engola] who was gunned down by his bodyguard on May 2, 2023.
In the results declared by Mr Tanga Odoi, the party’s electoral commission chairperson, at Marioshoni Primary School in Oyam District, Engola Junior won after garnering 62.3 percent of the votes, while Queen Dorothy Amolo came second with 322 votes, representing 37.7 percent. 
“I therefore declare Mr Engola Okello Samuel who has got the highest numbers of votes 532 representing 62.3 percent as the dully elected NRM flagbearer for Oyam North Constituency MP by-election 2023. Signed by Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission on June 17, 2023 at 6:22 PM,” he said.
However Mr Queen Dorothy Amolo, the only candidate who remained in the race and contested with Mr Engola Okello said she was not satisfied with the outcome and would contest as an Independent candidate.
"It was six people versus one but I still got 322 votes. I am therefore going to stand as Independent and I am declaring that I am going to be nominated on Monday as an Independent candidate. All the voters were ferried away to Lira where they were bribed with money in hotels," Ms Amolo told journalists shortly after Mr Odoi declared the results.
Mr Julius Peter Moto, Uganda's former Ambassador to South Africa and United Kingdom who is among the six contesters who were convinced by NRM Secretary General, Mr Richard Todwong, to stepdown in favour of Mr Engola Okello, told his supporters not to lose hope saying two years is not a long wait since he would return in 2026.
"I have surrendered and I am now going to support my son Engola Junior. I appeal to my supporters not to be offended by my decision but let us now support our NRM flagbearer," Mr Moto said.