Kasilo county MP contest hots up
Feb 16, 2011
<br>KASILO county parliamentary candidate Fred Oplot (NRM), also referred to as Emusugut (loosely translated into “white man†in Ateso), failed in his first attempt to unseat MP Elijah Okupa (FDC) in 2006.
By Daniel Edyegu
KASILO county parliamentary candidate Fred Oplot (NRM), also referred to as Emusugut (loosely translated into “white man†in Ateso), failed in his first attempt to unseat MP Elijah Okupa (FDC) in 2006.
Opolot had flown back from the UK, where he had spent a great part of his life. His grasp of the Ateso dialect barely went beyond ordinary greetings! His accent was alien, characterised by English spoken through the nose.
With a bottle of mineral water, which was then hard to find in the villages, permanently in hand throughout his campaign, Opolot fitted nicely into a white man’s coat. Only then he had black skin! And his main opponent couldn’t have missed that.
“Erai ngol emususgut. Mam ngol epedori aimat a kipi wok nu amot. (That fellow is a white man. He cannot drink our ordinary water from clay pots),†Okupa reportedly told locals during his campaign.
The trick worked like black magic. Add to that the wave of anti-NRM sentiment that swept through Teso then, and Opolot’s fate was sealed.
“I was new to the politics of the area. I hit the campaign trail right away after flying in from abroad. A lot of things have changed.
“First, I have learnt Ateso. I even campaign using the language. Though I’m not yet fluent, people understand me. NRM has also made a lot of visible achievements in this new district,†Opolot says.
He says except for deceiving the fishermen around Lake Kyoga that government plans to sell off the lake, Okupa has not made any tangible achievements during his two terms.
He said being from the opposition, Okupa has left the NAADS projects in the county and social infrastructure to go to waste for lack of supervision.
However, Opolot holds an edge over the incumbent due to the creation of the new district from Soroti and the declining anti-NRM sentiments in the region.
Okupa on the other hand has the advantage of incumbency. Besides, the avid debater is ranked among the best performing legislators in Parliament.
In his constituency, most feeder roads, some of which were previously swallowed up in bushes, have been worked on. In recognition of the MP’s efforts, an 8km feeder road in Kadungulu sub-county has been named Okupa Road.
There is now solar-powered piped water in the constituency, which has reduced water-borne diseases.
Other candidates inn the race are Augustine Okiror of (PPP), Valentino Opio (UPC), George William Mayuke (Independent) and James Peter Akol (DP).
A student at Kyambogo University, Akol, 25, said he joined the race to advocate for the plight of the youth in the constituency as far as education is concerned.
Akol said if elected, he would create a financial basket that would be funded under the constitutional development fund to further education of needy but bright students.
KASILO county parliamentary candidate Fred Oplot (NRM), also referred to as Emusugut (loosely translated into “white man†in Ateso), failed in his first attempt to unseat MP Elijah Okupa (FDC) in 2006.
Opolot had flown back from the UK, where he had spent a great part of his life. His grasp of the Ateso dialect barely went beyond ordinary greetings! His accent was alien, characterised by English spoken through the nose.
With a bottle of mineral water, which was then hard to find in the villages, permanently in hand throughout his campaign, Opolot fitted nicely into a white man’s coat. Only then he had black skin! And his main opponent couldn’t have missed that.
“Erai ngol emususgut. Mam ngol epedori aimat a kipi wok nu amot. (That fellow is a white man. He cannot drink our ordinary water from clay pots),†Okupa reportedly told locals during his campaign.
The trick worked like black magic. Add to that the wave of anti-NRM sentiment that swept through Teso then, and Opolot’s fate was sealed.
“I was new to the politics of the area. I hit the campaign trail right away after flying in from abroad. A lot of things have changed.
“First, I have learnt Ateso. I even campaign using the language. Though I’m not yet fluent, people understand me. NRM has also made a lot of visible achievements in this new district,†Opolot says.
He says except for deceiving the fishermen around Lake Kyoga that government plans to sell off the lake, Okupa has not made any tangible achievements during his two terms.
He said being from the opposition, Okupa has left the NAADS projects in the county and social infrastructure to go to waste for lack of supervision.
However, Opolot holds an edge over the incumbent due to the creation of the new district from Soroti and the declining anti-NRM sentiments in the region.
Okupa on the other hand has the advantage of incumbency. Besides, the avid debater is ranked among the best performing legislators in Parliament.
In his constituency, most feeder roads, some of which were previously swallowed up in bushes, have been worked on. In recognition of the MP’s efforts, an 8km feeder road in Kadungulu sub-county has been named Okupa Road.
There is now solar-powered piped water in the constituency, which has reduced water-borne diseases.
Other candidates inn the race are Augustine Okiror of (PPP), Valentino Opio (UPC), George William Mayuke (Independent) and James Peter Akol (DP).
A student at Kyambogo University, Akol, 25, said he joined the race to advocate for the plight of the youth in the constituency as far as education is concerned.
Akol said if elected, he would create a financial basket that would be funded under the constitutional development fund to further education of needy but bright students.