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Land rights top agenda in race for Soroti MP seats
Photo montage showing some of the candidates vying for legislative seats in Soroti. PHOTO/NMG
What you need to know:
- Those contesting for Soroti City West MP seat are Mr Calvin Echodu (NRM), Mr Julius Elasu (FDC) and independents Simon Peter Ebitu and Jonathan Ebwalu.
- In the race for the Soroti East MP seat are Mr Edmund Herbert Ariko (Independent), Mr Jimmy Ekema (NRM), Mr Moses Attan (FDC) and Mr Norman Emachu (Nation Unity Platform).
As the battle for parliamentary seats in Soroti City heats up, the protection of green spaces and land is dominating the agenda of all candidates.
The tough race is in Soroti East and Soroti West, which came with the creation of Soroti City.
Those contesting for Soroti City West MP seat are Mr Calvin Echodu (NRM), Mr Julius Elasu (FDC) and independents Simon Peter Ebitu and Jonathan Ebwalu.
In the race for the Soroti East MP seat are Mr Edmund Herbert Ariko (Independent), Mr Jimmy Ekema (NRM), Mr Moses Attan (FDC) and Mr Norman Emachu (Nation Unity Platform).
Mr Ebwalu says a dull voice in Parliament will rob Soroti City residents of their rights to land use.
“We are embracing the city status but all green spaces have been illegally handed to individuals. My leadership will ensure that leadership gives locals the right to proper planning of their land without coercion,” he pledges.
Mr Andrew Odongo, the campaign manager for NRM’s Echodu, says most leases of green spaces expired, warranting interested parties to apply for ownership.
“We are making this campaign a campaign of issues not a campaign peddled on outright deceit,” he says.
Petition
A total of 15 villages, which were annexed to form Soroti City, recently petitioned the Ministry of Local Government and Parliament, protesting lack of consultation.
FDC’s Attan says residents who were not consulted in the formation of Soroti City now need a voice that will stand shoulder by shoulder with them.
“Certain things were not answered in the formation of Soroti City and those things need a pro-people MP and that will be me,” he states.
Mr Emachu says a proper transition from old livelihood of the people in the areas annexed to form Soroti City must be considered without compromising their rights to land.
“I am offering myself to be that shield, a shield that will bring forth people’s views,” the NUP candidate adds. Soroti City is among the 10 cities that were approved by the Parliament of Uganda to start operating on July 1 this year.
However, residents claim that even their political leaders are unaware on how some of the new city demarcations were made.
