The Electoral Commission has declared Julius Achire Labeja the winner of the fiercely contested Gulu City mayoral race, defeating the incumbent mayor and National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer Alfred Okwonga.
Results announced this morning by the Gulu City Returning Officer, Mike Jjuuko, shows that Labeja, a political newcomer who ran as an independent candidate, garnered 12,281 votes, ahead of Okwonga, who polled 9,586 votes.
Other independent candidates trailed significantly, with Anthony Marc Obonyo coming third after polling 1,023 votes, followed by Jonathan Okello “Snoop” with 443 votes.
A further 340 votes were cast in favour of Denis Okello Oweka, who had earlier withdrawn from the race but whose name remained on the ballot.
According to the Electoral Commission, a total of 24,404 votes were cast across 254 polling stations in the Laroo-Pece and Bardege-Layibi divisions.
Of these, 664 votes were declared invalid.
Labeja, a first-time contender for the mayoral seat, had earlier lost in the NRM party primaries last year before opting to contest as an independent.
He rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic through humorous and poetic skits shared on social media under the codename “Kabokolok ki Gunya,” which earned him widespread popularity among both young and older voters.
Throughout his campaign, the 39-year-old championed a manifesto focused on building a prosperous city through local investment in the Acholi sub-region, promoting safety and security, and advancing a smart and sustainable urban agenda.
In his maiden speech after being declared winner, Labeja thanked his supporters and congratulated his closest rival, Okwonga, for putting up a spirited contest. While acknowledging that this is his first foray into senior local government leadership, Labeja pledged commitment and dedication to fulfilling his campaign promises.
@URN
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