LIRA – Retired Major Emmy Johnson Opio has declared his intention to champion the late Col. Charles Okello Engola Macodwogo, “Neno Abor” (Word of the People) vision with a sharp focus on agricultural wealth and an uncompromising war on corruption.
Addressing supporters and the media, Opio positioned himself as the torchbearer for Engola’s legacy, stating his campaign would be anchored on tangible development and accountability. “The vision of ‘Neno Abor’ is what I am focused on for the people of Erute North,” Opio asserted.
Central to Opio’s platform is an ambitious agricultural transformation plan. He pledged to promote intensive cocoa and coffee farming, aiming to equip each household with at least one acre of these cash crops.
“My vision is to create household wealth where every family can earn between 40 to 60 million shillings annually from their acre,” Opio detailed, positioning this as a direct pathway to lifting constituents out of poverty.
He also highlighted the improvement of primary education standards across Lira district as a key pillar of his development agenda.
The retired army officer saved his strongest rhetoric for what he termed systemic corruption within Lira’s leadership. He promised a “corruption-free Lira district from the district down to the sub-county level,” and presented himself as a man of action, not just words.
As evidence, he cited his recent high-profile whistleblowing activities. “I reported the mismanagement of road funds where MPs and district officials ate the money meant for the 2024/25 financial year—1.028 billion shillings for Lira and 930 million for Ogur district headquarters—to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit,” Opio revealed, showcasing his willingness to confront powerful figures.
Opio openly acknowledged that his anti-corruption stance has made him a target. “I am aware the National Resistance Movement leadership in Lira district sees me as a threat because I have accused them of corruption,” he stated, framing the upcoming election as a clash between entrenched graft and transformative accountability.
By intertwining the popular economic promise of “Neno Abor” with a soldier’s disciplined fight against malfeasance, Opio is crafting a potent political identity. As the race for Erute North heats up, his campaign is set to test whether his blueprint for agricultural prosperity and a clean government will resonate more powerfully than the influence of the established political machinery he vows to dismantle.
Opio has finished campaigns in Ogur,Agweng and ayami sub counties
