Amuru boss says he will stop Olanya's clock in Kilak South

Amuru District chief Michael Lakony will cross to NRM from FDC for the 2026 race to challenge Olanya

It is expected to be a nail-biting build up to the 2026 parliamentary elections in Kilak South in Amuru District.

This comes after the battle lines were drawn between the Amuru District Chairperson Michael Lakony and incumbent Member of Parliament Gilbert Olanya in the 2026 elections.

Mr Lakony, who has served for two terms, has announced his intention to unseat Mr Olanya.

Both Lakony and Olanya were elected to their current positions under the FDC ticket. However, Lakony who blames Olanya of making empty noise, will cross to the NRM in 2025.

Over the years, Amuru has been the bastion of the FDC in Acholi sub-region with all the three constituencies represented in Parliament occupied by the party members.

Ms Lucy Akello is the District Woman MP, Anthony Akol represents the people of Kilak North and Olanya as the MP of Kilak South.

However, the FDC dominance is facing a major obstacle as Michael Lakony is determined and has already announced his intention to unseat Gilbert Olanya as the  Kilak South Member of Parliament.

The Nile Post spoke to Mr Lakony, who claims he is giving Mr Olanya sleepless nights to the extent that the legislator is "no longer seen in Parliament".

"Tthis is just the beginning and I will add in more gears," he said.

Mr Olanya, who is also the Chairperson of the Local government Public Accounts Committee in Parliament, is also accused of practicing divisive politics and making empty noise.

"People who have done nothing, when you follow them you will find there is nothing apart from making noise," Lakony added.

He is not alone in his criticism. Kevin Anena Okumu who in 2021 contested for the MP seat for Kilak South, said the incumbent cannot offer anything more for Kilak.

Mr Olanya is further facing fire for his alleged failure to settle the Balaalo tension in Kilak South, the constant land grabbing complaints and the widespread poverty in his constituency

"He comes to the community talking a different thing, then goes to the government side talking a different thing," added Kevin Anena.

For the last 10 years, all the parliamentary seats in Amuru have been occupied by FDC MPs, and although Olanya boasts that he will "eat his challengers like a samosa", his collision with the district boss could signal the arrival of the NRM party.

Olanya is confident that anyone joining the race will only be doing as his bridesmaid.

"I have not seen anybody who is very serious on the ground and I pray it remains that way so that they come on the last moment and I eat them like samosa," he said.

Arthur Owor, a political scholar and the founder of the Centre for African Research, says the battle between Olanya and Lakony for Kilak South constituency will be a loss to the people Acholi in general.

He also urged that the bad blood between the two leaders should be settled on a round table,

"Here we are talking about social services like education, and health facilities that need to be equipped in that area,"he said.

Mr Owor said the Kilak South constituency will be one of the areas of interest for most of the people across Acholi sub-region and beyond.