Mobilise IDPs to return home, NRM cadres told

GULU resident district commissioner Col. Walter Ochora has urged NRM cadres in Gulu and Amuru districts to mobilise internally displaced people to return to their villages.

By Chris Ocowun

GULU resident district commissioner Col. Walter Ochora has urged NRM cadres in Gulu and Amuru districts to mobilise internally displaced people to return to their villages.

He made the remarks while addressing over 800 NRM cadres during a retreat at Laroo Boarding Primary School on Thursday.

Ochora said he foiled Kony’s plan to kill the head of his peace team, Martin Ojul, by revealing it on the Gulu-based Mega FM.

“As a result, Kony dismissed Ojul from heading the delegation and appointed Dr. David Nyekorac Masanga. Kony accused Ojul of being a strong ally of his late deputy, Vincent Otti, and misusing the peace talks money”
Ochora added that a committee to phase-out internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps had been formed.

“We have formed a committee for phasing out IDP camps. We shall start with Paibona, Lakwana and Coo-Pee.
“We shall destroy huts that have been left vacant because thieves use them as hideouts,” he said.

Ochora told NRM cadres to stop lamenting over poverty and form savings and credit cooperative society organisations (SACCOs) in order to benefit from the Bonna-Bagaggawale (prosperity- for-all) project.

“After forming saccos in various sub-counties, it will be easy for me to lobby for funds from the state minister for micro-finance, Gen. Salim Saleh.”
“Just like us, we formed a sacco and our chairman is Zachary Olum. If weaver birds can build self-contained two-room houses, what about us human beings? This should be a year of poverty eradication,” Ochora said.

Meanwhile, the president of Germany, Horst Kohler and President Yoweri Museveni will visit Coo-pee IDP camp on February 5, Ochora has revealed.
They will inspect the projects funded by German and also pay a courtesy visit to Rwot David Onen Acana.

Museveni and his German counterpart will also tour Gulu University.
Over 10,000 internally displaced people have returned to their villages and the Government and donors are giving them resettlement packages, including hoes, pangas, seeds and iron sheets.