Acholi MPs meet religious, political, and cultural leaders over deal with Museveni
Retired Archbishop John Baptist Odama, flanked by other religious leaders, speaks during the engagement at Bomah Hotel in Gulu City on Thursday afternoon.
PHOTO BY TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY
What you need to know:
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) government is working with Acholi MPs on a proposed deal aimed at launching fresh initiatives to spur economic recovery in the region
Members of Parliament from the Acholi sub-region, under the Acholi Parliamentary Group, on Thursday engaged political, religious, and cultural leaders across the region to seek their input on a deal currently being negotiated with the government.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) government is working with Acholi MPs on a proposed deal aimed at launching fresh initiatives to spur economic recovery in the region.
On March 13, President Yoweri Museveni met a delegation of Acholi MPs at State House Entebbe to discuss a memorandum of agreement they had earlier presented to him.
At that meeting, President Museveni scheduled a visit to the sub-region in May 2025 to engage local leaders and further negotiate the terms of the agreement.
Speaking on the sidelines of Thursday’s meeting in Gulu City, Mr Patrick Polly Okin Ojara said the consultations are part of efforts to gather views from all layers of leadership in the Acholi sub-region to incorporate into the 76-page memorandum previously shared with the President.
“Last week, on April 13, we met with civil society and elites from across the sub-region. Today, we are engaging cultural, political, and religious leaders about the pact because this is an Acholi matter where every voice must count,” Mr Okin said.
According to him, before the President visits the region, all views will be consolidated into a final version of the document for discussion.
During the engagement, Dr David Onen Otto, one of the directors of Wang OO, an Acholi community revival group, urged MPs to integrate elements from past agreements between the government and Acholi leaders into the new document, along with current revival strategies.
“It’s true that the poverty levels we see today match government projections. Solving this issue will require a collective effort. The Roco Paco initiative must be included in this memorandum; all these efforts are aimed at reviving Acholi prosperity,” Dr Onen said.
He added that once agreed upon, the proposals should be ring-fenced to avoid duplication or being applied in other regions that did not endure the same historical atrocities as Acholi.
In response, Mr Martin Okumu, Prime Minister of the Acholi Chiefdom, said the memorandum could be beneficial if pursued with genuine intent.
“The MPs' action is not a bad idea. The Acholi people are going through significant challenges that require deliberate government intervention. If these issues can be negotiated directly, that's a better approach. But the content must genuinely reflect Acholi interests, not political gain,” Mr Okumu said.
Ms Betty Kibwota from Nwoya District emphasized the importance of including mineral rights and royalties in the document.
“The question of mineral rights and oil royalties is crucial. How these proceeds will be shared must be clearly spelled out in the document. The government has never been clear on that,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Michael Lakony, LC5 chairperson of Amuru, said the memorandum offers a rare opportunity to address the population’s dire conditions. However, he called on MPs to allow more time for broader consultations.
“This is a great idea, but leaders need more time to engage grassroots structures. District leaders need to consult their councils, just as cultural chiefs must engage their communities, to contribute meaningful insights,” Mr Lakony said.
In their memorandum, the MPs argue that the region's ongoing decline has created non-military insecurity and existential threats related to land tenure, property, food and nutrition, income, skills, healthcare, employment, housing, and environmental stability.
The meeting was attended by MPs including Mr Okin, Minister Hilary Onek, Mr Anthony Akol, Ms Betty Aol Ochan, Ms Santa Okot, Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, and Ms Lucy Akello, as well as Retired Archbishop John Baptist Odama, among others.
“By the time the President visits in May, we will have a document that reflects the aspirations and voices of the Acholi people,” Mr Okin said.
Mr Akol, MP for Kilak North, noted that the MPs’ initiative to dialogue with the President was sparked in 2023, when Mr. Museveni publicly apologized for the atrocities committed by government forces in the region.
“After President Museveni apologized to the Acholi in November 2023, we started thinking—how can we build from that moment by working together with the NRM government?” he said.
