Amolatar, Uganda — Amolatar District LC5 Chairperson Morris Ogwal Omara has officially declared his intention to contest for the position of Vice Chairperson for Northern Uganda under the Uganda Local Governments Association (ULGA) .
Ogwal made the announcement yesterday while addressing district leaders at the conclusion of a three-day retreat for the Amolatar executive, speaker, and deputy speaker at Alpha Resort Hotel in Ireda.
He argued that Northern Uganda requires stronger representation at the national local government level, citing disparities in district funding as a key motivation for his candidacy.
"Northern Uganda needs a voice," Ogwal stated. He pointed out that while districts like Amolatar have natural endowments such as Lake Kwania, they struggle with disproportionately small budgets compared to other regions.
"When you go to other districts with smaller populations, you find budgets of 50 billion, but Northern districts have small budgets," he said. "Yet we have evidence that this money is a grant. Why should it be a condition in Northern Uganda and not in other regions?"
Ogwal also highlighted the need for collective leadership on regional development issues, noting that the Lango sub-region currently lacks a unified advocate for critical infrastructure such as the proposed Lira International Airport — a project leaders have long petitioned for as a catalyst for economic transformation .
"My goal is for all of Northern Uganda. I will move to all the districts to see the challenges and we have to discuss them," he said. "We need to understand our origin, which bottlenecks and challenges are material, and agree as leaders."
He called for strategic positioning and unity among regional leaders, urging those interested in leadership to be people of goodwill, focus, and clarity of vision. "From day one, we were elected and trusted with a full mandate to offer directions to the population of this region. That is my commitment."
Ogwal's announcement comes amid growing political realignments in the region, with local government leaders increasingly seeking to consolidate their influence at the national level .
The ULGA Vice Chairperson position for Northern Uganda is expected to be contested during the association's upcoming elections.
