By Zoomer Africa Editorial

Incumbent Zombo Woman Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Commissioner Hon. Esther Afoyocan on Wednesday officially kicked off her bid to retain the seat in the 2026 general elections with a well-attended rally at Oturgang Ward, Paidha Town Council.

Speaking to hundreds of supporters at Makutanu in Jupathombu cell, with 529 registered voters, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag-bearer thanked the electorate for handing her a landslide victory in the recent party primaries and declared that she had fulfilled every promise made during the 2021 campaign.

Afoyocan highlighted her active role in legislation, oversight, lobbying and budget allocation in Parliament, citing her persistent advocacy for the tarmacking of the 119-kilometre Nebbi–Paidha–Vurra road and other development projects.

She described Paidha as the political epicentre of Zombo District and urged voters to clearly understand the mandate of a legislator.

Among her deliverables in the current term, she listed the distribution of maternity basins to health facilities, securing employment for more than 15 educated youths from the district, donation of motorcycles to the education department for school supervision, and several other interventions.

Looking ahead, the MP unveiled an ambitious manifesto for 2026–2031, pledging to establish Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in all 752 villages of Zombo District to boost household incomes, especially for women, and to set up a modern demonstration livestock farm where constituents can acquire improved farming skills.

She called on voters to shun rumour-mongers, sympathy votes and monetised politics, insisting that Zombo needs competent, development-oriented leaders who can effectively articulate the district’s issues on the floor of Parliament.

NRM Paidha Town Council chairman Shaban Ouchi rallied the crowd to return the incumbent with an overwhelming majority for continued transformation.

Her Okoro County campaign coordinator Innocent Otingcwinyu commended voters for sacrificing market time to listen to the “development message” and warned against selling votes.

Several voters speak up

single mother Mangenga Fiona appealed for direct funding to women’s groups.

An 82-year-old elder endorsed Afoyocan but asked her to expedite delayed SAGE payments.

A resident identified only as Oryema promised to vote for her if village groups receive support and chairs while Jupathombu Village youth chairperson demanded sports jerseys, chairs and a proper playing field.

In response, Hon. Afoyocan assured the electorate that every genuine demand from youths, elders, women and community leaders would be addressed once she is re-elected, and urged the youth to organise themselves into registered groups for easier assistance.

After Paidha town council campaign, she will move to Zombo Town Council as the race intensifies, with main challengers Sarah Adong, Topista Acamfua, Scholastic Oyullu and Ngamita Gladies stepping up their own mobilisation across the district.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at Zoomer Africa, your number one grassroot information hub