Vice President Jessica Alupo has been declared unopposed for the Katakwi District Woman Member of Parliament seat after her sole challenger, Angela Anuken, withdrew from the race, a development widely seen as a strong endorsement of Alupo’s leadership and a sign of growing political maturity in the Teso sub-region.
The withdrawal, announced early on Wednesday, cleared the way for Alupo’s return to Parliament without contest. Ms Anuken had opted to stand as an Independent candidate after losing the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries but later stepped aside, effectively ending the contest before it began. The Electoral Commission subsequently declared the Vice President unopposed.
For many political observers, Alupo’s unchallenged victory reflects deep-rooted confidence in her leadership both at the national level and at home in Katakwi. As Vice President, Alupo has remained a key figure in government, while maintaining strong grassroots connections in Teso, where she is widely credited for promoting stability, unity, and development-oriented politics.
Local leaders in Katakwi described the development as a demonstration of consensus politics, arguing that the decision to avoid a divisive contest allows the region to speak with one voice in national affairs. Supporters say the move spares the district the internal conflicts that often follow bruising primaries and independent challenges.
“This is not about fear of competition, but respect for leadership and unity,” a senior party mobiliser in Teso said. “People have chosen dialogue and cohesion over political confrontation.”
The outcome has also reignited debate about the evolving nature of politics in eastern Uganda, particularly in Teso, where electoral contests were once fiercely competitive and deeply polarising. Analysts say the Alupo case signals a shift toward pragmatic politics, where experience, national influence, and service delivery increasingly outweigh personal rivalries.
Only after Alupo’s declaration did attention turn to a broader national pattern emerging within the NRM. Several senior leaders across the country have also been declared unopposed, a trend party insiders attribute to an internal harmonisation strategy aimed at reducing fragmentation.
This approach has been closely associated with the leadership style of Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, who doubles as second National Vice Chairperson female of the NRM. Rather than encouraging confrontational battles against independent-leaning aspirants, the party has leaned toward reconciliation and negotiated settlements to preserve unity ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Among those later declared unopposed are Speaker Anita Among for Bukedea District Woman MP, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa for Ruhinda County North, Jeniva Arinaitwe for Rubirizi District Woman MP, Laura Kanushu Opori for National Female MP representing Persons with Disabilities, Hon. Phiona Nyamutoro for Nebbi District Woman MP, and Jacqueline Mbabazi for the Older Persons MP seat in the Western Region and many others.
As Uganda edges closer to 2026, Vice President Alupo’s unopposed return stands out as both a personal political milestone and a broader signal of a ruling party increasingly betting on unity, consensus, and political maturity over internal confrontation.
