As we move toward the 2026 political campaigns, we will be unveiling the characters of different politicians in Museveni’s government.
Aceng entered politics in 2021, winning the seat of Woman MP for Lira City. However, her political survival is now under threat from Hon. Betty Amongi, the Minister for Gender, Labour, and Social Development.
Amongi is equally financially stable and politically experienced, having developed deep connections with local voters. While Aceng appears at well-organized rallies with a large security detail, Amongi engages voters on a personal level, attending social gatherings, sharing meals, and addressing their day-to-day challenges. This grassroots approach, combined with her marriage to Jimmy Akena, a prominent figure in Lira, gives Amongi an edge, with poll predictions putting her 20% ahead of Aceng.
At work, Aceng is known to be an insecure leader, evident in how she interacts with her junior ministers at the Ministry of Health. She oversees two State Ministers: Hon. Margaret Muhanga, a well-educated and capable leader, and Hon. Hanifah Kawooya, who became a minister as a political reward despite lacking formal education.
Aceng reportedly feels threatened by Muhanga, fearing she might replace her as the full minister in the event of a reshuffle.
Consequently, she frequently delegates high-profile meetings and events to Kawooya, whose limited abilities have repeatedly caused public embarrassment.
Several corruption allegations have been made against Hon. Aceng over time. One involves manipulating donor funds through the WHO Uganda office, which has fewer audit restrictions than government channels.
Public exposure of these claims led to the recent early retirement of WHO Uganda’s head, under pressure from WHO headquarters.
Other allegations include a deal with the Serum Institute, securing control over vaccine supplies for all immunization programs, such as the upcoming malaria vaccination campaign.
Additionally, Aceng allegedly directed favor toward a multinational company, Abbott, for supplying all HIV, malaria, and other laboratory testing materials, effectively sidelining other suppliers with minimal orders to avoid accusations of monopoly. These deals reportedly provided Aceng with substantial funds through significant kickbacks.
Aceng is married to Dr. Andrew Ocero, a senior doctor working in Mbale. However, rumors suggest that the couple has been separated for years, with Dr. Ocero choosing to remain in Mbale despite Aceng’s significant influence in the health sector, which could enable his transfer to any specialized hospital in Kampala so they could live together with their children as a family.
Her political opponents have begun to question the optics of her campaigning alone, making his presence crucial during her upcoming campaigns in Lira, where marriage values are highly respected.
Watch out for part two of this series next week…
