Betty Amongi, the current Oyam South Member of Parliament and Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, has announced her candidacy for the Lira City Woman MP seat in the upcoming 2026 elections. This decision positions her against the incumbent, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health.
About Betty Amongi
Born on November 15, 1975 in Oyam District, Amongi pursued higher education at Makerere University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Administration, followed by a Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies.
Amongi's political career commenced in 2001 when she was elected as the Woman Member of Parliament for Apac District. She secured re-election in 2006 and later represented Oyam South Constituency from 2011 onwards.
Her ministerial roles have been diverse, including serving as Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development from 2016 to 2019, Minister for Kampala Capital City, and currently as Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development since June 2021.
Amongi is married to Jimmy Akena, the Member of Parliament for Lira Municipality and President of the Uganda People's Congress. Akena is the son of Milton Obote, Uganda's two-time former Prime Minister and President.
About Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, born on May 11, 1968, is a distinguished paediatrician and public health specialist.
She attended Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School before obtaining her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Master of Medicine in Paediatrics, and Master of Public Health from Makerere University College of Health Sciences. Additionally, she holds a Diploma in Health Systems Management from the Galilee International Management Institute in Israel.
Aceng's medical career includes serving as Executive Director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital and later as Director General of Medical Services in the Ministry of Health from 2011 to 2016. In June 2016, she was appointed Minister of Health, a position she has held since.
Her leadership during health crises, notably the COVID-19 pandemic, has been widely recognised.
In July 2020, Aceng declared her intention to enter politics, successfully contesting for the position of Women Representative for Lira District in the 11th Parliament (2021–2026) on the National Resistance Movement ticket.
Polling for presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections, including SIG representatives, will begin on Monday, January 12, 2026, and conclude on Monday, February 9, 2026