Veteran Politicians Speak Out on Acholi Opposition MPs Cooperation with Gov’t

A section of veteran politicians from the Acholi Sub-region have voiced their perspectives on the emerging cooperation between some incumbent Acholi Opposition Members of Parliament and the government.

This comes hours after a section of legislators known for their past strong stance against the government expressed commitment to collaborating with the government after visiting President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe.

Since October last year, 10 opposition legislators from the sub-region have been holding dialogues with top government officials purportedly to find solutions to long-standing challenges the Acholi sub-region is faced with. The move has since provoked a spectrum of reactions from political veterans in the Acholi sub-region.

Zachary Olum, a former legislator and Chairperson of the Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG) in the seventh Parliament, however, commended the approach of the legislators and described it as a reasonable approach to achieving tangible progress for the Acholi Community.

Olum, who held the Nwoya County Parliamentary seat between 1996 to 2001 under the Democratic Party (DP) ticket, noted that the opposition’s cooperation with the government will enable them to effectively advocate for infrastructural development and social services among others that are lacking.

“If they can now reach government and tell them exactly what is happening, I think it's a notable development for me. I support the idea and they should strongly put the views of the people and let government come out clearly to see how they sort out these issues which are raised by these members of Parliament,” Olum told Uganda Radio in an interview Friday.

He also commended the government for taking its time to listen to the proposals of the legislators, arguing that dialoguing is the best approach in ensuring each side is listened to and solutions are derived.

“I think it's a good development that government at last is beginning to listen to the issues at the present. As I said, when we were there in Parliament, we were grappling with the idea of government going their way to end the war, but we said, no, let us work together,” he said.

Olum said such approach should have been done much earlier when the damage on the economy of the Acholi Sub-region had been damaged badly.

Prof Morris Ogenga Latigo, the former Agago North Legislator and Leader of Opposition in the eighth Parliament, expressed caution, arguing that the cooperation doesn’t present Acholi interests but rather the self-interests of the legislators.

According to Prof Latigo, dialogues on issues affecting the Acholi Sub-region need a collective involvement of all the Acholi Parliamentary Group members, not a section of only opposition politicians.

“What is happening is strange because in the first place if you are dealing with the Acholi problem you don't deal with it as groups of opposition MPs from Acholi. You will deal with it as the Acholi Parliamentary group because the Acholi parliamentary group is supposed to be there. So all these things about talking about Acholi is trying to hide on the back of Acholi to achieve individual political land,” said Prof Latigo.

Latigo warned that the government’s approach to dealing with Akol, Mapenduzi, and Okin PP on issues affecting the Acholi will cause backlash from the community.

“Building relationship between Acholi and the government must be a direct thing that recognizes that there have been grievances, big grievances not just cattle compensation or things like that, the deep rooted false campaign against the Acholi, the neglect of our communities and the fact that blood was shed,” he said.

Prof Latigo noted that President Yoweri Museveni had already started a process of reconciliation by asking for forgiveness over wrong things done in the region, which he expected the legislators should have been pursuing before fully cooperating.

While addressing the journalists early this month, Okin PP Ojara, the Chua West Legislator and head of the opposition legislators, refuted claims that they were seeking personal favors from the government rather than the interest of the Acholi community. Okin noted that they had put aside their political differences and agreed to collectively present their memorandum to the government on pertinent issues affecting the sub-region that had remained unaddressed for long.

Their proposals included, among others, transparency and inclusivity in the exploitation of minerals, oil and gas, compensation for lost cattle and property, fast-tracking enactment of transitional justice policy, addressing land conflicts and ensuring sustainable land management.

In a statement on his official X handle, President Museveni commended the steps taken by the Acholi opposition legislators and pledged to study their memorandum and continue dialoguing with them.