By Vincent Emong

John Bosco Emenyat, the Local Council III (LC3) chairperson for Southern Division in Kumi Municipality, has emerged victorious in the fiercely contested mayoral election. With a total of 4,775 votes, Emenyat clinched the top seat, defeating three other contenders in the election held across the municipality.

The official declaration was made by Jensen Geoffrey Okello, the Kumi District Electoral Commission Returning Officer, who announced Emenyat as the newly elected mayor during a results announcement ceremony held at the Kumi District headquarters. Julius Okello, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer, came in second with 3,506 votes, while Independent candidate Okurut George secured 1,947 votes. Godfrey Oluka of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) trailed with 110 votes.

Returning Officer Jensen Geoffrey Okello urged all candidates and their supporters to accept the results, emphasizing transparency in the tallying process. "The results have been tallied without any compromise. I challenge all candidates to honor the outcome. Any person dissatisfied with the results is free to seek redress in court, but they must present concrete evidence," Okello stated.

Despite the official declaration, the results have sparked controversy. Julius Okello, the NRM candidate, rejected the outcome, alleging widespread irregularities. He claimed his polling agents were physically attacked and forcibly removed from five polling stations, raising concerns about vote rigging and intimidation.

"We were denied access to key polling stations where we suspect foul play occurred," Julius Okello said during a press briefing. "This undermines the credibility of the process. We are immediately consulting our legal team to pursue court action to challenge these results."

In contrast, Mayor-elect John Bosco Emenyat called for unity and pledged inclusive leadership focused on development. In his victory speech, he emphasized collaboration with all political actors, including his defeated opponents.

"I am ready to work with all business people, leaders, and citizens regardless of tribe, language, or political affiliation. Development thrives on unity, not division," Emenyat declared. "My door is open to everyone who wants to build a better Kumi Municipality."

He also committed to improving transparency and accountability in governance, promising to sensitize residents on available government programs. "We will follow up on every government project from inception to completion to ensure the people of Kumi benefit directly," he added.

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