Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president, urged all opposition parties to guard their flag bearers in the Omoro County by-election, warning that the State will do everything to defeat them.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat has urged all opposition parties to closely guard their flag bearers in the Omoro County by-election indicating that the State will use all possible means to fail them.
Amuriat made the remarks following the alleged kidnap of their candidate, Owani Dick Denis. He revealed Owani was from a Rupiny radio talk show in Gulu when he has reportedly whisked away.
“He was on his way back to Omoro from a Rupiny radio talk show in Gulu at 8:30pm when this happened. We highly suspect this to be the handwork of the usual suspect fearing the strength of FDC in this particular by election,” Amuriat said urging other parties to keep a close eye on their candidates.
“I advise the rest of our colleagues National Unity Platform(NUP) & Alliance for National Transformation-Uganda (ANT) to closely guard their candidates,” he added further.
Earlier on, the police said they were investigating the circumstances under which the FDC candidate was allegedly Kidnapped. In a statement dated May 12, ASP Ongom David Mudong the PRO Aswa-River said they are gathering up more information on the matter.
“The candidate alleges that he was abducted by occupants in an unknown vehicle who were trailing him. Mr. Owani claims they kidnapped him at Adida village in Omoro District but later abandoned him at Corner Kamdini in Oyam District.”
ASP Ongom mentioned that the police take matters of threats to life including abductions seriously. As a result, he urged the complainant to cooperate with the police and provide more details on the issue.
“Our regional teams in Aswa and North Kyoga have opened up general inquiries to help prove or disprove the allegations. We urge the complainant in the alleged incident to cooperate with police and provide us with all the necessary information,” Ongom said.
“We further wish to inform the public that the complainant in this alleged incident is out of danger and has gone for nomination,” he added.
Owani is FDC’s flagbearer in the upcoming Omoro County by-election.
He is contesting for the same position with three other members including Tolit Simon Akena of NUP who was duly nominated on Thursday, Kiiza Oscar of ANT, and Andrew Ojok Oulanyah the son of the late Jacob Oulanyah who was earlier on fronted by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
According to the Electoral Commission, the nomination of candidates for the Omoro seat will be held on May 12 and 13. Campaigns will run from May 16 to 24, 2022 and then elections held on May 26.
Meanwhile, the position fell vacant following the death of late Speaker Oulanyah who was buried on April 8th in the Omoro district. Oulanyah reportedly succumbed to multi-organ failure.
 party president, urged all opposition parties to guard their candidates in the Omoro County by-election.){kind=link}