Eunice Otuko Apio has been sworn in as the newly elected MP for Oyam County North. The swearing-in ceremony took place during a plenary sitting chaired by speaker Anita Among Thursday afternoon.

Otuko, who ran on the opposition Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party ticket, was declared the winner of the Oyam County North by-election earlier this month. She replaced the late Col (Rtd) Charles Okello Engola, who was shot dead by his bodyguard in May this year over salary wage complaints.

Otuko secured 15,718 votes, defeating her closest competitor Samuel Engola Okello of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) who received 15,161 votes. Freddy Newton Okello of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) came third with 714 votes, followed by Daniel Okello of the National Unity Platform (NUP) with 403 votes.

A total of 31,996 voters participated in the by-election, out of the 90,733 registered voters from 167 polling stations. Speaker Among presented Otuko with a copy of the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament to assist her in carrying out her legislative duties.

She urged her to uphold the Constitution and work for the people of Uganda as a member of parliament.

“We will not say, Eunice of UPC, no, it is Eunice the member of parliament of Uganda. We look forward to working with you,” said the speaker.