Former Oyam South MP arrested over inciting violence  

Former MP Ishaa Otto Amiza. PHOTO/COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • According to police, Mr Otto was being held at the North Kyoga region police headquarters by Monday evening.

Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Oyam South constituency in Oyam District, Mr Ishaa Otto Amiza, has been arrested over allegations of inciting violence.

The suspect was on Monday apprehended by police from his home in Loro Town Council, Oyam District after being accused of mobilizing the public to protest over the sorry state of Lira -Kamdini road.

“As security, we could not allow some individuals to disrupt the peace of the public when the people are still recovering from the effects of Covid-19 pandemic,” North Kyoga regional police commander Mr Anatoli Katungwensi said as he confirmed the arrest.

According to him, Mr Otto was being held at the North Kyoga region police headquarters by Monday evening.

Lira Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Mr Lawrence Egole said the planned demonstration was politically motivated to disrupt transport.

“We have reliable information that some opposition leaders, especially from Kampala are right behind the arrangements of this demonstration. We cannot allow some people whose regions are settled to come and disorganize Lango Sub-region,” he added.

In a press statement last Friday, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) apologized for the delay in the reconstruction of Lira-Kamdini road.

“We might have had gaps and not communicated earlier to the people but one thing is that these road works, especially when it comes to World Bank standards, there are strict compliances that we have to observe,” Mr Anthony Okucu, the Lira station manager remarked.

The Lira-Kamdini road is included in the North Eastern Road Corridor Asset Management Project (NERAMP) as part of the Lot 2 section: Soroti-Lira-Kamdini.

“And this being the first of its kind of contract, we are also learning. So, we apologize for whatever has happened including the delays but we promise that this contract will be delivered,” UNRA noted.

The project funded by the World Bank has very much enhanced environment and social safeguards requirements.

Project

The overall road construction project is supposed to last 36 months. The contract was signed on June 28, 2018 and the project implementation started on August 13, 2018. The legal site possession was concluded on February 28, 2019 for Lot 1, and March 1, 2019 for Lot 2.

After the construction is done, the contractor is supposed to maintain it for another five and half years before handing it over to the government of Uganda on February 12, 2027.