The National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Leku James Pilli has won the Adjumani West County parliamentary by-election with 12,423 votes.
Leku defeated his sole challenger, independent candidate Gasper Draga, who polled 2,559 votes, according to the official Return Form for Transmission of Results (Form RF) signed by Adjumani District Returning Officer Eunice Christine Akao on Thursday.
Akao declared Leku the duly elected Member of Parliament for Adjumani West at 8:31pm at the Adjumani District Council Hall tally centre, in accordance with Section 77(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap 177.
The results show that Leku secured 82.9 per cent of the 14,982 valid votes cast.
A total of 15,216 ballot papers were counted, with 234 rejected ballots and 19 spoilt ballots recorded.
Leku, who voted at 10:46am at Openzinzi Primary School in Openzinzi Parish, Adropi Sub-county, thanked NRM leaders and supporters for backing his campaign.
He described the campaign period as initially hectic but said the situation had calmed as residents prepared to vote.
Leku pledged to continue the work left by the late Gen Moses Ali, whose death created the vacancy, and to advance the interests of residents of Adjumani West.
NRM Director of Mobilisation and Cadre Development Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde called for unity after the election, saying development required communities to work together despite political differences.
“We have done our part; we have mobilised the people, talked to them and guided them, and we remain hopeful for a successful election,” Dr Seninde said.
The election followed the death of Gen Ali, who represented Adjumani West for several years.
During the final campaign rally on Tuesday, President Museveni urged voters to support Leku, whom he described as the NRM candidate who would continue the party’s work in the constituency.
Speaking at Paridi Stadium in Adjumani West, President Museveni credited Gen Ali and other West Nile leaders for supporting the NRM and contributing to what he described as the region’s development.
He cited road construction, electricity expansion, education and health infrastructure among the developments in West Nile.
President Museveni said the Kampala-Nimule road and other projects, including the Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo, Nebbi-Arua and Laropi-Moyo-Afodi roads, were part of efforts to improve connectivity in the region.
He also said the government was expanding electricity access, noting that the national grid now extends from Gulu through Adjumani to Moyo.
On education and health, the President said government had expanded public services in the region, but urged residents to complement infrastructure development by engaging in wealth-creating activities.
“Every individual has to participate in wealth creation in order to get rid of household poverty,” he said.
He encouraged residents to engage in agriculture, trade and other productive activities while seeking wider markets, including in neighbouring Kenya and South Sudan.
President Museveni also commended the NRM Electoral Commission for conducting the party primaries and thanked aspirants who participated in the process.
He singled out Ben Anyama for withdrawing from the race and supporting Leku in the interest of party unity.
