The race for the Adjumani West Constituency parliamentary seat has entered its final stage, with 51,438 registered voters set to cast their ballots on Thursday, September 17, 2026, in a contest between independent candidate Gasper Draga and National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer James Leku Pilli.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the NRM chairman, on Tuesday handed over the party flag to Leku Pilli at Paridi Stadium in Adjumani Town Council and rallied voters to support the NRM candidate.
Museveni said Leku Pilli, if elected, would work closely with the NRM government to improve service delivery and accelerate development in Adjumani West.
"Leku Pilli will work with the government to ensure that services reach the people and development is accelerated in Adjumani West," Museveni said.
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The President also highlighted government programmes, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), saying Adjumani District had received about Shs23 billion under the programme.
He urged beneficiaries to use the funds productively to create wealth and improve household incomes.
"Use the money to engage in productive activities, create wealth and improve your household incomes," Museveni told beneficiaries.
NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong commended the people of Adjumani for hosting refugees and living alongside them peacefully.
"This is the spirit of Pan-Africanism," Todwong said, praising Adjumani for its hospitality and peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities.
NRM Vice Chairperson for Northern Region Denis Hamson Obua, who also serves as a presidential advisor, said party leaders had worked hard to ensure peace and unity prevailed among the seven contestants who participated in the NRM parliamentary primary.
"We worked hard to ensure that peace and unity prevail among our people and that the party remains united despite the competition," Obua said.
He expressed confidence that the NRM would win the seat on Thursday.
"We are confident that the people of Adjumani West will give the NRM another victory," Obua said.
Former candidates Patrick Tandrupasi and Ben Anyama, who withdrew from the parliamentary race, also publicly endorsed Leku Pilli.
Tandrupasi said he had chosen to support Leku Pilli in the interest of unity, peace and cohesion in Adjumani West.
"I have decided to support James Leku Pilli for the sake of unity, peace and cohesion in Adjumani West," Tandrupasi said.
Tandrupasi also led more than 200 former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) supporters in announcing their support for Leku Pilli.
Anyama, who also withdrew from the race, pledged his support to Leku Pilli, saying: "I have decided to support James Leku Pilli. At this point, what matters most is unity, peace and the development of our people."
The constituency comprises Adjumani Town Council and four sub-counties--Pachara, Adropi, Ciforo and Ukusijoni. It has 23 parishes, 99 villages and 114 polling stations.
Meanwhile, independent candidate Gasper Draga has campaigned on a platform centred on education, skills development and commercial farming.
Draga says he intends to prioritise education and skills training to equip young people with practical skills while promoting commercial agriculture as a means of improving household incomes and creating employment.
"My priority is to invest in our young people through education and skills development, while promoting commercial agriculture to improve household incomes and create employment," Draga said.
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His opponent, James Leku Pilli, has outlined several infrastructure and urban development priorities, including the construction of Laropi Bridge, the creation of Adjumani Municipality and the elevation of Ciforo Health Centre III to a Health Centre IV.
"These are priorities that will improve connectivity, strengthen health services and support the growth of Adjumani," Leku Pilli said.
The election follows the death of former Adjumani West MP Gen. (Rtd) Moses Ali, who died on July 18, 2026.
With Tandrupasi and Anyama having withdrawn from the race, the contest is now effectively a two-horse race between Draga and Leku Pilli.
The Electoral Commission has urged voters to maintain peace and observe the law before, during and after polling.
On Thursday, voters will determine who takes over the parliamentary seat and represents Adjumani West in the 11th Parliament.
