President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has urged communities in Dokolo District to join and support the ruling party saying that it has the medicine which is able to deal with the problems of Ugandans.

“I hear  Dokolo has people who are UPC and don't want to work with NRM or join NRM, why don't you join the medicine that seems to have worked? There was a patient called Uganda, the other medicines applied on him did not work, this one for NRM, seems to have worked,” he said earlier today (Tuesday, March 19).

The President made the remarks at a huge rally at Atabu Primary School Playground, Dokolo while campaigning for the NRM flag bearer for Dokolo District Woman Parliamentary seat by-election, Ms Janet Adongo Rose Elau.

The voting is slated for Thursday, March 21 2024.

The Dokolo Woman Member of Parliament seat fell vacant following the death of the area legislator, Hon. Cecilia Atim Ogwal on January 18, 2024, in India.

During the rally, the President observed a moment of silence in respect of the late seasoned politician.

Other candidates eyeing the seat are: UPC’s Sarah Aguti Nyangkori, Dr Rosemary Alwoc Ogwal of FDC, Harriet Ageno of the National Unity Platform, Dr Grace Lalam, Dr Esther Akullo Obot and Rebecca Arao.

The President also flagged off the NRM flag bearer, Ms. Adongo and he also gave an opportunity to the NRM members who stepped down from the race in favour of the flag bearer to briefly address the masses.“I want you to send us our daughter Adongo to come and follow up on government programmes,” he said.

President Museveni wondered why some Ugandans continue to embrace the “wrong medicine” which killed the patient in the past, explaining that he finds such a decision a lack of seriousness and dishonesty.

“The man was down and couldn't get off his bed, but he is walking now and he seems to be even running. Why don't you say that this medicine seems to be working but you say no, I will continue with the medicine which killed the other patient in the past. Then you even bring a new one which has never even been tried anywhere called FDC,” he said attracting cheers from the crowds.

According to a release from the State House, the President further informed the rally that the names of the political parties are not that important and what is crucial is what brings the people together to deal with their needs.

“When you see people emphasizing “who” instead of “what”, know there's a problem. "Who are you?" is not important in the politics of medicine/ curing people's problems; what is crucial is what are people's needs and how can you solve them.”

Achievements: 

President Museveni on the other hand told the people of Dokolo that the NRM government came as a force that aims to socially and economically transform Uganda through the provision of services.

“In Dokolo alone, there are now 10 or 13 government secondary schools. You have heard that I have been here for a long time. In 1962, when we got independence, there was no single government secondary school or even a single secondary school in Lango. The only secondary school in the north was Sir Samuel Baker and it was not even an A' level school.

 There were only five A' level schools in Uganda; Budo, Kisubi, Ntare, Gayaza and Namagunga. In Lango, Lango College came after Independence but now you hear that in Dokolo alone, there are 10 government secondary schools and 60 government primary schools,” he said.

Dokolo NRM candidate Adongo Janet Elau

“The roads, from Soroti to Lira we tarmacked it and now we are doing it again and we have got plans for other roads like Dokolo- Amolatar- Namasale; that one we are planning to tarmac it, among other roads. If NRM can build 10 secondary schools in Dokolo only without talking about the other parts of Lango, when at Independence there were no single secondary school in the whole of Lango, why do you doubt its capacity to do even the other work that is yet to be done? If we did the 10, we can do the 20, we can do the others.”

President Museveni also urged the people of Dokolo to embrace politics of interest and shun politics of identity, saying it frustrates the development of the country.

“I was in those old political parties. Initially, I was in DP  from 1960 because of the sectarian politics in Ankole and other parts of the country. But along the way through the student movement, we started to notice some mistakes of that type of politics, not only in DP even in the other groups, and by 1965, our student's movement started saying no, it should be politics of what people need not politics of who they are,” he stressed 

Supporters of NRM candidate

He also implored the people of Dokolo to vote for leaders who are selfless and are able to represent them well.

“Vote for leaders who are accountable. For example, drugs are not in some hospitals because of corruption of health workers, that is why you should vote for good leaders who are able to check on those issues. The NRM government has been able to fully address the health issues that require vaccination. 

Young girls should also get vaccination against the cancer of the uterus. When you get that vaccination, you will never get cancer for the whole of your life,” he said.

“If you are looking for a party to support, you look at the one that has got evidence of capacity and the challenge is for you to get good workers to implement all the plans. This is what we ask you, NRM has shown that it has got the capacity to perform but to perform properly, you need big leaders on top, in the middle and also at the base.”

The President also cautioned leaders especially the Members of Parliament against using personal money to solve the problems of their constituents.

“They do this because they love you and are trying to please you but they are trying to do so in a very dangerous way to themselves. I have been telling them that don't use your small money for the public, the government can do that work. You just monitor what the government is doing and follow the government plans. We have sent sh100m per parish through Parish Development Model. This year, the following year, we shall do the same.”

The President also pledged that soon the government will be able to improve the infrastructural development in  Dokolo such as electricity and water bridges.

On the issue of wealth creation, President Museveni urged the people of Dokolo to embrace the four-acre model type of commercial agriculture to help themselves move out of poverty. 

The NRM Secretary General, Rt. Richard Todwong thanked the NRM secretariat leadership and all team members for being on ground and campaigning for the party flag bearer.

He also assured the crowds that updating of the members' register will commence soon. 

“We did not do the register update in Dokolo  because of the campaigns which were going on and I would like to assure the people of Dokolo that next week, we shall send their books and start registering in the villages after elections,” he added.

The NRM Director for Mobilisation, Cadre Identification, Recruitment and Placement. Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde assured President Museveni that with God, they will be able to win the by-election.

She said her team had been in the area for one month canvassing for votes.

“Your Excellency, we have been able to meet traditional leaders, religious leaders, special groups and we have made rallies in all the parishes; meeting people coming from various villages. All these have shown massive support for our candidate. And I want to thank the people of Dokolo for receiving our candidate. .

At the second rally held at Amatiburu Primary School Playground, President Museveni reiterated his call against the politics of identity.

“Why do you emphasize the politics of identity when the People's needs are the same? Their needs such as hunger, poverty, health, infrastructure are all the same, why do you look at their identity against their needs?” he wondered.

“In 1966, Obote fought with Mutesa, and the constitution collapsed. In 1971, Amin came in and we had to fight now. Again, in the fighting, the same issues came up. For us we were pushing for no sectarianism, but other groups had different ways of working. The politics of identity led to the collapse of the economy.”

President Museveni also explained that due to NRM’s correct analysis of not accepting tribalism and religious sectarianism and working for the unity of the people of Uganda, the government has been able to deal with challenges affecting Ugandans.

“When we came in, we had other challenges like the wars in South Sudan, Kony and all that, the cattle rustlers in Karamoja and the Western Nile armed groups but because of our correct strategy, we were able to overcome all that. Therefore, we have been able to get peace in the whole of the country and the ADF who are remaining in Congo we are hitting them every day. The NRM government has proved that it can bring peace and it can also deal with other needs of the people.”

The President also tasked the people of Dokolo to work towards improving their household incomes through commercial agriculture.

“This has been our poverty eradication prescription in our homes. We started with NAADS, then Operation Wealth Creation and now we have brought the PDM. Those who have listened to us are doing very well. There's one of your NRM people called Nyakana near Fort Portal. The man is earning more than Shs250m from one acre where he rears 8 dairy cows and eggs from hens,” he said.

“As we are campaigning now, I want to remind you of our answers towards people's needs. The politics of NRM is not politics of Identity but politics of people's needs. The needs are in two categories; some are "ours", some are" mine" and we have shown you a solution to each one of them. When I talk of the four-acre model, I’m talking about the small people but the people with big land can do other things like ranching and sugarcane. Then we have got Emyooga, for other activities like carpentry, welding etc. So, there's no excuse. You NRM people when you are mobilising, mobilize people on how they can solve their needs using government support.” Different NRM leaders attended the rallies namely:

The Government Chief Whip, Hon. Hamson Obua, Dokolo South MP, Hon. Felix Okot Ogong 

 Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng and the Minister of State for Economic Monitoring, Hon. Beatrice Akello Akori.