Kapelebyong asks for district status

Nov 29, 2010

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has promised to support the bid by residents of Kapelebyong county in Amuria district and those of Kalaki in Kaberamaido district to get district status.

By Milton Olupot

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has promised to support the bid by residents of Kapelebyong county in Amuria district and those of Kalaki in Kaberamaido district to get district status.

Museveni was addressing his supporters at a rally at Acumet Secondary School in Kapelebyong county.

He, however, said this would only materialise if residents elected NRM flag-bearers who can see their bids sail through in Parliament.

Addressing another rally in the same district, Museveni accepted the request by the people to split Amuria county into two.

“The districts cannot pass through Parliament without NRM. You need over 100 members to pass the bid and it is only NRM that can provide that number,” Museveni said amid ululation from his supporters.

“You people of Amuria have banja (debt) with me. I saved you from the Karimojong cattle rustlers, from Kony bandits and now you want a district. So, come February 18, 2011, vote for the old man with a hat and all NRM flag-bearers, then you will see what a good friend I am,” a beaming Museveni said.

He invited the Amuria LC5 chairman, Julius Ocen, to join the NRM so that the people of his district can quickly reap the fruits of development. Ocen had quietly joined the rally and stood far away in the crowd, but Museveni sighted him and called him to sit in his tent.

“My son here Ocen and I fought for peace. Ocen took people to settle in areas that were peaceful, which was good. But you should tell the people that the peace was brought by the old man with a hat. Even if you are UPC, tell them that NRM brought peace here,” Museveni said.

“Saying that Museveni is stupid, there is nothing in his head, eh! You who is clever did not bring this peace. Maybe you are clever in other things, not peace,” he told Ocen, who smiled sheepishly as the crowd clapped.

At various rallies, the President reminded his supporters of the NRM’s achievements.

He also assured them that the Government now had enough money to implement its programmes.

Museveni said the Government would compensate the people who lost cattle to rustlers, and also promised to pay ex-servicemen.

The President further pledged to assist the victims of the UPDF’s accidental bombing of Kapelebyong and those who were affected by the recent floods in the area.

Museveni later introduced Al Hajji Badru Wegulo, the former vice-president of UPC, to the gathering.

Wegulo called on Ocen and other UPC supporters to “quickly climb the bus and not to waste time with a party that is already dead”.

In Kalaki county, the President thanked the residents for helping the Government and the army to flush out the LRA rebels who infiltrated the area in 2003.

“I am happy to find that you are now in peace. I thank you for working with the army and the Arrow Boys to clear the area of people who were disturbing you.”

Museveni said because the NRM Government had been in place for long, it had built capacity and the economy had grown.

He said there was money available to extend electricity to many parts of the country and to build better roads.

On education, the President said the NRM had scored high, with the enrolment for both primary and secondary education going up, and promised free education for A’level students starting next year.

He said the approach to Prosperity-for-All under NAADS had been revamped because of many complaints over the distribution of resources.

Museveni said in the new strategy, the smallest unit become the village from the previous parish.

He explained that everybody above the age of 18 in a village would be involved through a village development cell, which will take decisions on what investments to make and the distribution criteria.

“This is good because when anyone cheats, everybody will know who is cheating,” he said.

He reiterated his determination to deal with corrupt medical officers, who he said where stealing drugs from hospitals and not working the required hours.

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