Disgraced Former High Commissioner to Canada Enters Kole Woman MP Race

Uganda’s former High Commissioner to Canada, Joy Ruth Aceng, has declared her bid for the Kole Woman Member of Parliament seat on the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party ticket. 

Aceng was deported in August after she was declared persona non grata, citing behavioural concerns. 

On Thursday, Aceng joined the UPC leaders to mobilise support for UPC’s Jimmy Akena in Kole district. 

She explained that she is back to strengthen her party, as well as regain her parliamentary seat as the Woman MP of Kole. Despite serving under President Yoweri Museveni’s government for seven years, Aceng denied ever converting to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party as it is being alleged.

She explained that her appointment as Uganda’s Ambassador to Canada was for national service but not a shift in her political stance. Adding that her actions in Canada was to defend her country.  

Aceng will contest for the UPC party flag with Joy Atim Ongom, the former Lira District Woman MP and Janet Auma Okullo, who lost in the last election.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Akena declared his support for whoever will carry the party flag, saying the party primaries will be free and fair.

Akena, who believes that 2026 will be the year of change Uganda is yearning for, also rallied all UPC leaders to work for the people other than their personal gains.

Akena, who reaffirmed his interest in contesting for the Presidency, said nothing will derail him from that quest.