By: Ismael Kasooha

Kampala

Members of parliament from Bukeddi sub region have asked the government to formulate a regional development strategy to deal with the high poverty levels in their area.

“We have not benefited from the affirmative action as promised because we don’t know where we fall. Our region has been missing out on several government interventions but now we believe there is light at the end of the tunnel,” said Yusuf Mutembuli, Bunyole East Member of Parliament.

Mutembuli said that there is need for a mindset change campaign in Bukeddi sub region so that the people there can adopt to the changing trends in the world and move from subsistence to commercial farming.

The State Minister for Northern Uganda Dr. Kenneth Omona (right) talking to one of the members from Bukeddi sub region at OPM

“The people in Bukeddi especially the youth need serious sensitization on how they can create wealth for themselves instead of depending on handouts from politicians. Government needs to come up with a deliberate strategy to develop our region because of the peculiar situation,” said Mutembuli.

Mutembuli said that the people of Bukeddi suffered the atrocities of Alice Lakwena but have not been thought about for quite many years.

“We hear that the government is compensating people affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Northern Uganda but for us nothing has come out yet. We appeal to the government to also consider us,” noted the legislators.

Robert Kasolo Member of Parliament Iki-Iki Constituency who spoke as the leader of Bukeddi Parliamentary forum thanked H.E the president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for appointing Dr. Kenneth Omona to be in charge of Northern Uganda Affairs because he has begun engaging them in planning for their sub regions.

“We are optimistic that our issues affecting Bukeddi shall be prioritized because they are now known to the Minister. We pledge to cooperate with you in the transformation of Bukeddi and are ready to support you in your activities,” said Kasolo.

Omona is engaging all Members of Parliament from all the sub regions that constitute the Northern region to discuss economic transformation of the households. These include Acholi, Lango, West Nile, Bukeddi and Elgon.

Dr. Omona briefed the Members of Parliament that he decided to meet all the sub regions that fall under Northern Uganda so that he can get all the issues affecting service delivery in the region for action.

“I want us all to be on the same footing in regard to the issues affecting our people. It’s bottom-up planning so that we address the root cause of the problems if we are to transform our areas,” said Omona.

He noted that development and transformation can only be achieved if household incomes are enhanced through increased production and productivity.

Omona said that as leaders they ought to ensure that the people get social services such as schools, health facilities and roads to respond to the president’s call of wealth creation.

“We should be able to differentiate between development and transformation. Transformation can be individual or community based yet development is broad,” he noted.

Dr. Omona asked the leaders to always plan on how they can address the high levels of poverty in all the sub regions that make up northern Uganda.

He said that the people must be food secure, arguing that fighting insecurity can only be successful if the livelihoods of the people are improved.

“For people to love their country they need to possess what to lose. Addressing food security and household incomes we shall have tackled most of the challenges in our localities,” said Omona.

The newly appointed State Minister told the legislators that they will start holding Barazas at Parish level every three months for accountability and also planning.

Omona is still engaging other sub regions but has met legislators from the Lango sub region.

End.