Ngora celebrates creation of new county

Ngora district residents on Saturday celebrated the creation of Kapir County, which was carved out of Ngora County.

Kapir is among the six new counties in Teso and one of the 46 in the entire country, whose creation was approved by Parliament last Thursday.

Since Ngora district was carved out of Kumi on July 1, 2010, it has had only one county, Ngora, which has about 157,400 people, according to the 2012 census.

The people of Ngora commended President Yoweri Museveni for giving them another county. Residents of the four sub-counties of Kapir, Mukura, Agirigiroi and Morukakise, as well as Mukura Town Council, which make up the new county, expect improved service delivery as a result.

Agirigiroi and Morukakise sub counties were created recently and are yet to be operational.

Wilberido Egwapu, 61, from Morukakise, expects to see children in the area being employed at the new sub-counties.

Augustine Iswapu, 67, a resident of Agirigiroi sub-county and Same Omunai of Mukura sub-county, said services will now be closer to the people because Ngora district is wide.

Stella Auma, 40, from Kapir subcounty, is hopeful that most of the challenges retarding development, such as water shortage, inadequate schools and drug shortage will be addressed.

Stella Ilaku, 65, another resident of Kapir, hopes to benefit from the Government programmes, while Abraham Osola, 13, said the new county will sort out hygiene and sanitation issues.

Dr Abraham Isamat, a three-time candidate for the Ngora county parliamentary seat and former ambassador to Khartoum, said the new county will give the opportunity to some residents to take up positions in Parliament.

Jacqueline Amongin, the Ngora district Woman MP, said the new counties will enable residents to benefit from various government programmes, especially EMYOGA, which Parliament has allocated sh55b. Amongin said the Ngora MPs are now struggling to have Ngora Town Council upgraded to a municipality status.