By Our Reporter
Former Ugandan High Commissioner to Canada, Joy Ruth Aceng, has officially announced her candidacy for the Kole Woman Member of Parliament seat under the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party.
Aceng, who was deported from Canada in August after being declared persona non grata over alleged behavioral concerns, made her political intentions clear during a meeting with UPC leaders in Kole district on Thursday. She joined efforts to rally support for party president Jimmy Akena and emphasized her commitment to strengthening the UPC in her home district.
“I am back to serve my party and reclaim my position as Kole Woman MP,” Aceng stated, dismissing claims that her previous role under President Yoweri Museveni’s government signified allegiance to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.
She clarified that her appointment as Ambassador to Canada was a duty of national service, not a shift in her political ideology. “Even during my time abroad, I acted in defense of Uganda, not in support of any political realignment,” she asserted.
Aceng now joins a competitive race for the UPC party flag alongside Joy Atim Ongom, the former Lira Woman MP, and Janet Auma Okullo, who contested unsuccessfully in the last election.
UPC party president Jimmy Akena welcomed Aceng’s return and pledged impartiality in the upcoming party primaries, affirming that the process would be “free and fair.” He reiterated his support for whichever candidate emerges as the flag bearer.
Akena also urged UPC leaders to prioritize public service over personal ambition. “2026 is the year of transformation that Ugandans are waiting for,” he said, reaffirming his own commitment to contest for the presidency. “Nothing will stand in the way of that mission,” he added.
