A New Hope in Ugunja: Lillyanne Aketch’s campaign is shaking up the by-election.

Something is changing in Ugunja. The old political drums that were so loud are now low. They are replaced by a more potent beat, the voices of people discussing hope, service, and new leadership. The focal point of this change is Hon. Lillyanne Aketch, a woman whose campaign has turned a by-election into a movement.

Year after year, the competitions here have been familiar: the same pledges, the same recognizable names. But this time is different. What began as rumors has swept across markets, households, and churches. People are repeating the same thing, that Lillyanne is not another candidate. She is the leader that Ugunja has been anticipating.

Action, Not Empty Words

The politics of Lillyanne are those of not making speeches but solving problems. She is at work today when other people are discussing the future.

The fact that she vows to ring the Uloma Dispensary and the camp of the Assistant Chief is evidence. These are the projects that may not appear to be particularly complicated but have enormous meaning. The dispensary fence implies that the patients can pursue treatment in security, and the health workers will be able to work without fear. Capturing the camp of the Assistant Chief will ensure public servants work with dignity in an environment that is secure.

It is not a tale that is told to get applause, but an act that will alter the day-to-day life. And by them, Lillyanne is proving that leadership is not about words but about results.

Education at the Core

The core of her vision is education. She understands that the future of Ugunja lies in the way its children are being prepared in the present day.

• Better Classrooms: She wishes to have proper learning structures in place of the broken classrooms, including libraries and digital learning materials to support modern education.
• Expanded Bursaries: She is sure that no child should quit school due to poverty. Her commitment to raise the amount of bursaries is a rescue for orphans and needy children.
• Mentorship for Youth: She intends to connect students to professionals who would mentor them in both career and life skills, not only in passing exams but also in the real world.

Her education program is ambitious, though realistic, also. It is a strategy that provides all children with an opportunity to dream and to achieve.

The Mood in Ugunja

One can experience the change everywhere. Her plans are discussed by people in trading centers. Youths talk about her energy. Mother envies her attention towards schools and health. Older adults use her fencing work to demonstrate seriousness. Lillyanne does not come out begging to be trusted; she is gaining it. And where promises are hard to keep, that counts for everything.

Purpose Before Position

With the ODM nominations on September 26, Ugunja has little room to make a decision. Maintain the politics as normal or adopt a new form of leadership. Lillyanne Aketch has drawn the line. Neither is she running to serve the office.

She is running to serve. She is strong in purpose rather than in position, the purpose of making the people she represents feel uplifted, protected, and empowered.

A Turning Point

It is not just a seat to fill in Parliament. It is a turning point for Ugunja. People read between the lines when a leader promises better schools, the promise of bursaries and mentorship, and the fencing of a dispensary.

Hon. Lillyanne Aketch is not a face in the crowd. She is the beginning of the new chapter. She is an example that politics may be service-based rather than self-serving. And hopefully, judging by the ever-increasing excitement of the people, history will not pass over this by-election but will remember that this was the time when Ugunja assimilated into the new age and, in Hon. Lillyanne Aketch, recognized a new future.