Reject Muhoozi project in our marginalized region, West Nile opposition tell locals

Opposition leaders across West Nile sub-region have asked locals to reject the Muhoozi (MK) project saying “it is meant to turn Uganda into a monarchy but not to solve problems affecting their marginalized region.”

Dissidents led by former Terego and Arua Municipality MP Kassiano Wadri October 21 denounced last week’s utterances by a section of MPs backing the MK project as a betrayal of the West Nile people.  

“Uganda is not a monarchy where the transfer of power should be from father to son. West Nile has issues of unreliable and stable electricity, poor roads, high inflation and poor performance in schools,” Mr Wadri told journalists on Friday.

Opposition voices in the area instead want West Nile MPs to focus on how their sub region can catch up with development and not cheap politics.

“We cannot be reduced to this sugar-coated and dangerous project of promoting football for youths,” he added ahead of weekend sporting activities arranged by pro-MK project adherents.  

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) in 2022 indicated that West Nile is second only to Karamoja as Uganda’s poorest sub region.

“We have attained a silver medal in this for long and the NRM government has been here for decades without improvement. We do not need this project,” former Terego West MP aspirant Martin Andua (ANT) remarked on Friday.

Opposition Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party Chairman in Arua, Titia Kamure, wondered over “why their MPs were running after money and abandoning their obligations.”

First son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba is expected in Arua on October 22 in what organizers of his visit have touted as an event to promote sports across the sub region.

Several youthful groups including artists, boda bodas and vendors have been mobilized to attend the day’s activities.

Reacting to these developments, ruling NRM party Pakwach District MP Agnes Achibu said: “In my culture, when one is aging, he or she needs to prepare a successor. I am happy that this step (MK project) has already started- meaning that when it is the right time, we are going to have a peaceful transition.”

Last week, the Arua Central MP Jackson Atima (NRM) led a delegation of some West Nile MPs who publicly endorsed the MK project.

“We have unanimously agreed to role the MK project in West Nile. We have launched this project for West Nile after the first project was handled by the district leadership,” he told journalists.