Sheikh Musa Khalil, the Northern Regional Assistant to the Mufti and vice chairperson of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI), said Thursday that the cooperation agreement was long overdue and anticipates that it will help address the sub-region's long-standing challenges.
Speaking to Uganda Radio Network in an interview, Olanya confirmed that the idea was government led adding that they were approached through office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to come up with their views about the sub-region.
Speaking at the first consultative meeting held with a group of elites and opinion leaders Monday in Gulu City, Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Bardege-Layibi Division MP, explained that their recent decisions weren’t a betrayal but about exploring a constructive engagement with the government.
Aol said despite participating in the meeting that is in the interest of the Acholi people, she has no interest in leaving her party the People’s Front for Freedom, (PFF) a breakaway faction of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party.
According to Prof Latigo, dialogues on issues affecting the Acholi Sub-region needs a collective involvement of all the Acholi Parliamentary Group members but not a section of only opposition politicians.
PP Okin Ojara, the Chua West Legislator and head of the delegation, however, said Friday that the purpose of their meetings was to present key proposals of a wide range of socio-economic issues that have put the region in perpetual decline.
Olanya accuses Robert Okot Okeny of defecting to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party despite still maintaining his position in the FDC party in the district.
FDC Deputy Party President in charge of Northern Uganda Kaps Fungaroo noted that while the defection of the two leaders is painful to the party members, it hasn’t weakened FDC party nor its supporters in Amuru district.
After the fall of Amin's Government that brought Dr. Milton Obote to power for the second time, Bazilo remained frustrated by the lack of accountability in Obote's regime.
Lakony noted that he equally needed to enjoy the government since all efforts of removing President Yoweri Museveni for the last 39 years has failed by the opposition.
Akena noted that ever since the deliberate killing of the cooperative societies aimed towards curtailing the influence of the UPC party, the NRM-led government which took over power on January 26, 1986, has been struggling to revive the rural economy.
In Nabweru, Nansana Municipality, Agatha Mulawa, a local resident, woke up to find people sitting on benches near the town council offices. Surprised, she learned that the Electoral Commission (EC) officials were on-site to register new voters and update the existing voter register. A first-time voter, Mulawa had assumed that registration was automatic after receiving a national ID.
Sister Grace Angelina Aciro, the Superior General of the congregation told stakeholders at the fundraiser that nuns at the convent are living in deplorable conditions as most structures are already dilapidated.
Ecweru says the Karuma Bridge presented urgent need for intervention that forced the government to expedite its remedial works to ensure easy transportation of goods and passengers.
Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the FDC Secretary-General in his remarks to the locals said they feel bad that some party members from the sub-region are leaving at the time they need unity to galvanize support for FDC in the country.
Brian Ogutu, the deputy secretary for mobilization in charge of Northern Uganda says the self-digital membership registration is one of the ways the party is trying to fight the ruling party’s propaganda of parading members alleged to have defected from FDC.
FDC Katonga faction Vice Chairperson, Betty Aol Ocan says with the new team of executives and well-set leadership structure, they are now ready to carry on with mobilization at the grassroots.
“Be informed that APG has 30 members and 3 ex-officios. Therefore, five members out of 30 cannot sit and appoint themselves to the leadership of the APG without following due process. The APG leaders are elected but not appointed,” Anywar’s statement reads in part.
Julius Ocungi · author