Prime
Museveni tells Omoro people to fight poverty
President Museveni hands over an NRM flag to Mr Andrew Ojok Oulanyah, the NRM candidate for Omoro County by-election, during a campaign rally in Odek Primary School in Omoro District on May 24, 2022. Photo/Tobbias Jolly Owiny
What you need to know:
- The President says once Omoro locals improve homestead incomes, they can then demand a better road network.
President Museveni has asked the people of Omoro District to direct their energies on fighting household poverty instead of demanding for better roads.
Mr Museveni made the remarks while campaigning for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate in the Omoro County by-election, Mr Andrew Ojok, at Odek Primary School yesterday.
He was reacting to demands tabled by Omoro chairman Douglas Peter Okello Okao regarding the tarmacking of Gulu-Moroto Road.
READ: Forget speedy development if you vote Opposition, NRM’s Todwong tells Omoro electorate
Mr Okello asked the government to increase funds allocated to the district so that they can revamp the poor road network.
“We want the Gulu-Moroto Road tarmacked because this road is very strategic to delivery of services. We have the road equipment and through you [President Museveni], we would like to be given an emergency funding of Shs1 billion so that other poor roads are worked on,” Mr Okello said.
He identified Awere-Awaliwanglobo, Odek-Laking, Acet-Orapwoyo-Lamindadera-Labora, Ajuri-Laminonami, and Lakwana-Yima-Keto roads for being impassable, especially during the rainy season.
Omoro is managing a total of 303kms of roads while the sub-counties manage 583kms.
But Mr Museveni, who in 2019 while attending the thanksgiving party of Omoro Woman MP Catherine Lamwaka, promised to tarmac the same road, said tarmacking the Gulu-Moroto Road will only make sense once people have chased away poverty.
“When you go back, tell our people that the NRM government has put more strength in poverty eradication policies. We want to start from homes, chase away the poverty and then it will make sense to walk on the tarmac,” Mr Museveni said.
He reassured the people of tarmacking the road in future.
“We shall do this road, and if somebody thinks we are lying, tell them that NRM never lies. If NRM has done Gulu-Atanga-Acholibur road up to the South Sudan border, Gulu-Nimule, Karuma-Pakwach road, why not the Gulu-Moroto road, why not? It will also be done.”
“My plan is homestead income development, this is what I want to hear everywhere. These leaders should plan with you (people) so that you work around it and boost your incomes. Once you have good homestead income, the rest falls in,” he added.
Oulanyah’s home visit
President Museveni later visited the home of the late Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, and laid a wreath on his grave before proceeding to Opit Primary School playground where he held the second campaign rally.
During the campaign, Mr Museveni pleaded with voters to elect Mr Ojok whom he said would accomplish his father’s dreams.
“This is really Oulanyah’s term and should be finished by the one nearest to him, which is his son. Ojok, we are not sending you as Ojok, but as Oulanyah to go and finish his work, and when you do well, next time you can return as Ojok,” he said.
The President also pledged to build a technical school in Odek Sub-county in memory of the National Resistance Army efforts in the area.
He also promised to contribute an unspecified amount of money towards the Jacob Oulanyah Trust Fund.
