Fr Charles Onen Concedes Defeat to Mao in Gulu Election.
Fr Charles, the incumbent legislator for Laroo-Pece Division in Gulu City, has officially accepted his defeat in the recently concluded Parliamentary election. He acknowledged the victory of Norbert Mao, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Mao, who also serves as the President General of the Democratic Party, was declared the winner by Mike Jjuko, the Returning Officer of the Electoral Commission, on Friday afternoon, following a competitive and closely watched race.
Mao secured 7,359 votes, triumphing over Onen, who garnered 5,562 votes. The election outcome marks the end of a fiercely contested race in which Onen sought re-election to continue serving the constituents of Laroo-Pece Division.
Despite the loss, Onen graciously expressed his respect for the results and wished Mao success during his next five-year term in office.
Onen’s acceptance of the outcome signals a commitment to democratic principles and the peaceful transfer of power.
In his concession statement, Onen emphasized that while he accepted the final results, he still needed to assess why the election turned in Mao’s favor.
He cited concerns regarding the electoral process, especially focusing on the technical issues with the Biometric Voters Verification Kits (BVVK).
Onen argued that the malfunctioning of the BVVK in several polling stations caused significant disruptions in the voter verification process, which led to delays and confusion during voting.
The Electoral Commission opted to use manual voters’ registers on Thursday as a backup measure after the BVVK malfunctioned across most polling stations in the country. Onen expressed his belief that this change could have impacted the integrity of the election and affected voter confidence.
However, he still maintained a constructive outlook, vowing to reflect on the entire electoral process and his campaign strategies.
Onen was one of eight candidates competing for the position in the Laroo-Pece Division, underscoring the race’s highly competitive nature.
Despite his defeat, Onen’s concession shows a spirit of democratic respect and readiness to move forward.
