Forget speedy development if you vote Opposition, NRM’s Todwong tells Omoro electorate
NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong addresses local leaders and NRM registrars at Acet Central Ward in Acet Town Council in Omoro District on May 18, 2022. PHOTO/ URN
What you need to know:
- Mr Todwong says voting for Opposition figures, especially the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate, Mr Simon Toolit Akecha, will drag development not only in Omoro County but the district as a whole.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Secretary General, Mr Richard Todwong has rallied local leaders and the electorate in Omoro County to vote for Andrew Ojok Oulanyah, the NRM flag bearer if they are to witness speedy development.
Mr Todwong says voting for Opposition figures, especially the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate, Mr Simon Toolit Akecha, will drag development not only in Omoro County but the district as a whole.
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According to him, there is no way the government led by President Museveni, also the NRM party chairperson can fulfill pledges in the area where an Opposition candidate has been entrusted as a leader in Parliament.
Citing Amuru District where most of its leaders are in Opposition, Mr Todwong noted that major developmental projects are first taken to the NRM strongholds while areas that haven’t voted ‘wisely’ wait on the list.
“When these things reach up there, the allegations that Ojok isn’t a good orator won’t work. This is no longer an election about Ojok; where it has reached is not for Ojok. It’s for the NRM party, because for us we look at the map of Uganda; how many MPs do we have in Parliament? Out of the numbers, how many are from a particular district? We choose the districts and put those that favored us separately and the ones who didn’t vote for us are put aside. We start with only the districts that voted for us,” Mr Todwong said on Wednesday while speaking to NRM LCI, and LCII chairpersons of Acet Town Council, and NRM registrars from villages, parish, and District levels in Acet Town Council.
He asserted that the NRM government cannot be pleased to respond to the concerns of the people if a candidate from an Opposition party is voted.
According to him, the government has already earmarked the tarmacking of the Gulu-Moroto road that connects Gulu City through Omoro to Pader District, but notes that 'bad voting' can delay its implementation.
“If you elect Toolit and the NRM government delivers under his leadership and it’s noticeable to the locals, it means that we are discrediting the NRM. So, if you elect Toolit, we shall ensure that he doesn’t do anything, that’s all. You can’t get favour from me when you abuse me. Electing Toolit will bring bad luck to you. Someone who follows up debt should be one who is accepted at the debtor’s home, not one who won’t be allowed at the home,” he added.
Speaking to this reporter, Mr Todwong dismissed reports that the presence of NUP in the by-election is giving them sleepless nights.
He said NRM officials are not bothered by NUP candidate, Akecha, arguing that they are sure of winning by a landslide margin since the same candidate lost in his previous attempts in Parliament and District Chairperson for Omoro in 2016 and 2021 respectively.
“We are not bothered about any of them. We have defeated them in many elections and we know here we are going to defeat them. They are not a big challenge for us here. Their issues are mainly local here because the NUP candidate has always been contesting with all these leaders in the previous elections and has been losing. He contested for LCV Chairman with current chairman, he previously contested with late Speaker and that’s why everybody talks about him because he has been a loser in many of these campaigns for a long time,” Mr Todwong argued.
But Akecha in an earlier interview with this reporter said he is better-placed to lead the people of Omoro owing to his leadership experience, other than the NRM candidate who is still a political novice.
Akecha stressed his ambitious plans which include lobbying for ambulances to help transport expectant mothers free of charge and ensure that the Gulu-Moroto road is tarmacked.
Six candidates, including Akecha and Ojok, are in the race to fill the vacant Omoro County Parliamentary seat that fell vacant on March 20, following the demise of former legislator and Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah.
The other candidates in the race are; Oscar Kizza, the Alliance For National Transformation-ANT flag bearer, Forum for Democratic Change Party flag bearer Justine Odong, Terrence Odonga, and Jimmy Walter Onen all independent candidates.
The candidates commenced campaigns on May 16, 2022 ahead of the by-election slated for May 26.
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