West Nile leaders angry after Museveni no-show

Leaders of the Greater West Nile region have expressed disappointment with President Museveni’s failure to fulfill his campaign pledges.
The situation was worsened after the President cancelled his visit to Nebbi to officiate as a chief guest at the International Day of the Elderly celebrations at Nebbi Town Secondary School on Saturday.

The Nebbi District Local Government chairperson, Mr Emmanuel Urombi, while presenting a joint statement of local leaders from West Nile, said the people were disappointed with the absence of Mr Museveni
“Our minister, without hesitation, we are disgruntled and a bit disappointed with the absence of His Excellency. I don’t want to hide our emotions because I speak on behalf of the people of Nebbi and the entire region,” he said.
Mr Urombi, however, applauded Museveni for being a pan-africanist.

“ West Nile at large, love the leadership of H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni because he is a promise keeper, a true teller, patient and kind-hearted person above all a peace maker at a continental level, that’s why we call him the farther of the region,” he said.
The chairperson, however, said Mr Museveni in the 2011 Manifesto campaigns pledged to tarmac the 16km Goli-Nebbi road which connects with DRC for regional and economic development but had not done so.  
Mr Urombi listed other poor roads such as Goli- Paidha-Zombo-Arua (119 km) which were highlighted in the party manifesto of 2016-2021 with a slogan of steady progress, the Nebbi-Jukiag-Goli- Kasikam (14.4km),  and the Panyimur–Pakwach road in the 2021-2026 manifesto. 

He said: “We believe that H.E and the team who came up with the manifesto predicted our minds and we were happy until [we] were not mentioned in the NDP III roads list for tarmacking.  This raised a lot of questions among our people of greater Nebbi. Today we are also disappointed that H.E is not around”.
The former Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi, said a friend in need is a friend indeed, adding that the government should intervene.
“The connections to Arua are not as good. I was in Arua yesterday and the road was bad, the connection to Gulu is a nightmare because the road is even not what it used to be,’’ he said.

Ms Agnes Ashivo, the Nebbi  Woman MP, said: “I am deeply disappointed, as Alur, we are peace lovers, we are peace makers, but it’s high time that our cries are heard, I say all this for God and My Country.”
Ms Avur Jane Pacuto, the Pakwach Woman MP, said leaders were excited that the occasion would front their agenda for development .
She requested the President to reschedule his visit.
“We have our people being evicted from Parango from the other side of  Nwoya.... We thought the President’s visit would solve [this],” Ms Pacuto said.
However, the Minister of State for Finance-in-charge of Privatisation, Ms Evelyn Anite, apologised for Mr Museveni’s absence.

“As a Minister of this government, I want to make it very clear to all of us and in particular to my in-laws, that it is not on purpose that our President is not here. The MC did announce that the President delegated Mr Dominic Gidudu (State, Elderly) and I am very certain that Hon Gidudu will give us clear reasons as to why the President is not here. But from the look of things, it was very clear the President was going to be here with us today.’
Mr Gidudu said: “The message that was delivered to me by an emissary from H.E President of Uganda was that unexpected circumstances that needed his attention came [up] and as a result delegated to me to stand in for him and he said anytime he is through, he will come to Nebbi.”