Museveni unwilling to intervene in Iteso-Jopadhola conflict over Tororo

TORORO - President Yoweri Museveni has once again broken the silence on the Tororo district question pitting the people of Tororo County against their counterparts from West Budama on the split of Tororo into more districts.

The President says, "if you see people are not reasonable, you leave them and if you try to force too much, you also end up making mistakes," which he says he has totally avoided.

Museveni says he is waiting for both parties to agree on a position after their continued quarrels and fights over the creation of more districts out of Tororo, which, according to him, is negatively impacting service delivery.

He was on Saturday, November 9, 2024, responding to questions during a media briefing with Journalists from Bukedi and Bugisu sub-regions at the State Lodge in Mbale city.

Museveni said he recently received good news from Vice-President Jesica Alupo that the two parties are about to agree on a position because they seem to be getting tired of fighting.

“The Bateso wanted to be split. So, when it came to splitting, the Bateso said 'We want to go with Tororo municipality because it’s part of Tororo County'. But the Badama didn’t want to split. They said they will die here: You go but without Tororo municipality. For me, am a farmer from Ntungamo. I left them? I didn’t want to impose anything on you people” Museveni said.

Fertiliser factory

On the stalled $620m fertiliser factory in Osukuru, Tororo, the head of state attributed the entire mess to a group of Ugandans smartly dressed in suits driving expensive cars.

He said the Chinese investor was doing a good job but was hijacked by Ugandans in suits and stole all their money for investments by taking bribes.

Museveni explained that when he realised the Chinese had been milked to the extent of losing interest in the project.

Upon inquiry, the President said the Chinese were able to identify all those who took bribes from him but he had not captured any evidence to pin them.

"The Chinese man was doing great work, but he didn’t know your people. Your people stole money from him. They were busy taking bribes from him. By the time I realized, the man had run out of energy. So, I said 'who took bribes from you?' he told me so and so. But there was no evidence because he had not bothered to get evidence. So, I know who stole money from the Chinese. I know it, their names. I see them in meetings dressed in suits. But my Chinese man couldn’t capture evidence to send them to jail,” he added.

"We don’t want to be involved too much in government investments/parastatals. The private sector does better. We shall get a solution because the money is there, fertiliser is there. Even one of the investors came back. The lady is there," Museveni said.