Lira, Uganda – Politics mixed with mourning on Monday as James Ocen, popularly known as “Agipi”, delivered a powerful and politically charged speech during the burial of Lucy Awelo, who passed away at the age of 88 in Aguruwanya Cell, Boroboro East Ward, Lira East Division.
Ocen, the UPC flagbearer for the Lira City East MP seat, captivated mourners with his vocal delivery and sharp rhetoric. His remarks earned him rounds of applause as he rallied attendees around his political message, turning a somber occasion into a moment of political awakening for some.
The mood shifted after a campaign agent for Denis Alyela Omodi, the NRM flagbearer for the same seat, declared that Alyela was “coming with a big force,” likening him to a dog that “hunts well in the bush.”
But Ocen, never one to shy from a rebuttal, fired back with a metaphor of his own:
“The dog that stays in the bush is a hyena — and a hyena never brings meat home.”
The comment was met with laughter and murmurs of agreement among mourners, many of whom praised Ocen for his wit and bravery.
He went further to affirm that he is the rightful successor to Jimmy Akena, the current UPC party president, in Lira City East.
“The one to replace Akena must be wise and bright. That person is me,” Ocen declared.
In a promise that struck a more compassionate tone, Ocen pledged to provide free medical care to pregnant mothers during childbirth if elected — a statement that drew more cheers from the gathered crowd.
The burial of Lucy Awelo, a revered elder in the community, thus became more than a farewell — it became a platform where voices for the future of Lira were heard loud and clear.
