Residents of Butaleja district in Bukedi sub region are threatening to demonstrate over President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s proposed mode of interaction with the district ahead of his November, 7 visit to the district.
The president is set to resume his regional monitoring tours with Bukedi sub region first on the agenda.
The decision by the president, however, to meet only selected leaders is brewing controversy among the public. According to a copy of invitation letter seen by this publication, the President will grant audience to a selected group of leaders, including elected local council leaders, Members of parliament, and NRM structure leaders, Municipal Mayors, Chief AdministrativeOfficers, District Commercial Officers, religious leaders, among others.
The public has however, protested against this move, insisting that they have for long trusted these leaders with their issues which are still yet to be addressed.
Mr Lyada Moses, a former MP candidate for Bunyole West argues that whereas they are not opposed to the visit of the fountain of honor, the decision to interact with just a few leaders has sparked a lot of questions.
” Whereas these leaders were elected by the people, there is still a strong feeling that they have neglected their most pressing which has adversely affected their trust and confidence. Issues like the tarmac road, rice growing wetlands and the general economic crunch are key issues the leadership has failed to address.” Lyada notes.
According to him, since the President doesn’t visit the area so often, this opportunity is a rare one that the district will regret for many years should they miss it.
” What the people want is to directly address the president about their issues. The renovation of Busolwe hospital was a big milestone but that doesn’t solve all the other issues like the tarmac road promised almost thirty years ago,”
Jimmy Wangobo, a resident of Busolwe Town Council insists that if the President insists on denying them chance to address him, they may retaliate by denying NRM support at the next polls.
Hajji Issa Walugo, the Butaleja district NRM Chairman confirmed in a telephone interview with this news website that indeed, he has received reports of planned protests by the public.
Walugo says he is planning to reach out to the organizers of the event to chat ways of addressing the worries of the population.
” Its true that there are plans of people protesting peacefully. All they want is to have an interaction with their President and I don’t think that it’s wrong. They also have issues.
He collaborated Lyada’s account that the promise of the tarmac road which has stalled for decades is partly why people are dying to meet the fountain of honor.
Locals have severally threatened to alienate the ruling side in the next general election unless construction work on the Namutumba-Butaleja- Lwangoli road which the government has promised since 1996.
They have improvised new innovative ways to drive home their message such as wearing T-shirts and shirts with the words ” NO TARMAC ROAD NO VOTE 4 NRM IN BUTALEJA,” which have massively been embraced by the local population.
” I know there are many people who reach the President in this place. Kindly, convey my message to him that the people of Butaleja have said that ” No tarmac road, no vote for NRM in Butaleja,” National Unity Platform( NUP) Bugedi Regional Coordinator, Mr Lyada Moses echoed at the burial of Hajji Bashir Muluga in Bukabeba on March, 30 amid cheers from mourners.
Lyada, in his address to mourners stated that the issue of the impassable districts affects all of them regardless of political alignment and calls upon all to embrace the campaign to demand the same.
Lyada says it’s time for the public to own the push for a good road network in Bunyole, highlighting that politicians have failed to deliver despite the trust put in them for many years.
” This is the time we must accept this as our collective role. Political leaders are not going to help. The more we keep quiet, the more we shall remain neglected.
Bunyole is predominantly NRM with all the three MPs in the two constituencies either on the NRM ticket or leaning towards the side.
Ambassador Dorothy Hyuha, also a former Minister and Emmanuel Dombo Lumala- NRM Publicity Secretary are some of the top leaders from the area holding vital positions. Others are, Hajji Imran Muluga, a Resident District Commissioner.
Amid rising fears, the issue of the road could jeopardise the ruling party’s long dominance in Bunyole, NRM district Chairperson, Hajji Hussein Walugo predicts hard times for the party unless something is done swiftly.
Walugo is concerned that the campaign has been embraced by a significant section of the community, including notable party leaders. Whereas he acknowledges plans by the government to work on the 72km road, convincing the population on the same has been a hard task because they have been promised the same for a very long time.
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