Lira City West Elects UPC Tonny Blair Opio Amwonya As The New Speaker, Pledged To Lead With Integrity

By Kica Daniel

LIRA, UGANDA — In a historic council session held on Thursday, 21 May 2026, Rt. Hon. Tonny Blair Opio Amwonya was sworn in as the new Speaker of Lira City West Division, receiving the instrument of power in a ceremony marked by calls for reconciliation and a decisive break from the turbulent legacy of the previous council.

Opio Amwonya, a member of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), emerged victorious in a tightly contested three-way race, defeating the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer, Olanya Bonny, and an independent candidate. The election, conducted by secret ballot, was the first substantive business of the newly constituted council and paves the way for the appointment of executive committee members and sectoral committee chairpersons in the coming days.

In his inaugural address, Speaker Opio Amwonya wasted no time in confronting the reputational damage suffered by the previous council, which was frequently paralysed by infighting, boycotts, and public altercations that eroded public trust. “I stand before you today not just as your Speaker, but as a servant committed to restoring the dignity of this council,” Opio told a packed gallery. “The era of chaos and division is behind us. I will do everything within my power to champion peace, unity, and constructive debate. We owe the people of Lira City West a council that works.”

Opio singled out the newly elected Mayor of Lira City West, Hon. Emmanuel Ebong, describing him as “a good mentor whose leadership will steer this division towards tangible development.” The Speaker’s deliberate embrace of the mayor signals a potential shift towards a collaborative executive-legislative relationship, a stark contrast to the open hostility that defined the previous term.

The Lira City West Division council has been plagued by deep-seated political fractures since its elevation to city division status, with the outgoing leadership frequently censured for misconduct and mismanagement of council resources. The inability to pass timely budgets and approve critical development projects led to missed service delivery targets, drawing sharp criticism from civil society organisations and the Ministry of Local Government.

Speaker Opio Amwonya, a relative newcomer to the frontline Speakership role but widely regarded as a consensus-builder, ran on a reformist platform centred on transparency and ethical leadership. His victory over seasoned opponents from both the ruling NRM and the independent bloc reflects a growing appetite among councillors — and the electorate they represent — for fresh faces capable of bridging partisan divides.

While addressing journalists, he credited his success to his party President Jimmy Akena and the UPC first lady Betty Amongi former minister of Gender labor and social development. 

The peaceful conduct of Thursday’s election and the conciliatory tone struck by the new Speaker have been welcomed by observers as an encouraging first step. However, the true test will lie in sustaining the fragile unity during contentious budget allocations and oversight sessions ahead. For now, the council of Lira City West Division has been offered a rare opportunity to reset and rebuild — and Speaker Opio has staked his leadership on delivering just that.

Who is Opio Tonny Blair Amwonya?

Opio, now the new Speaker of Lira City West, brings a deep bench of legislative experience to the role. His political career began in 2011 as a youth councillor for Adyel Parish, a position he held until 2016. Demonstrating steady leadership, he was elected Vice Chairperson of the division from 2016 to 2021, before serving as a senior councillor in Lira City West from 2021 to 2026 representingTeso A . Notably, throughout this period, he remained a dedicated leader councillor under UPC balancing grassroots representation with broader divisional responsibilities. His steady ascent, marked by a reputation for patience and dialogue, culminated in his election as Speaker in this term — making him one of the best speakers in the region and a symbol of a new generational shift in Lira’s local politics.