By Hanning Mbabazi
Kampala: The Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga has called for faster resolution of the Tororo Municipality boundary conflict.
Kadaga was responding to calls from the political and cultural leadership of Tororo District during a fundraising drive for the construction of St. Gregory Catholic Parish church held on Saturday, 27 July 2019. The function that took place at Bishop Okile Primary School in Kalachai, Apetai Sub Country, Tororo district.
It should be remembered that last year, a delegation comprising government representatives, legislators and the local leadership of Tororo district were in the United Kingdom to establish the contested boundary between the Iteso and Jopadhola. The report however, has not been made public. The Speaker however said she will put government under pressure to ensure that the London report on the boundary map is made public.
“When they came back, the minister failed to issue the report. I called her to tell the House what was discovered, she said ‘it is with the president’. I am going to increase the pressure so that government releases this report,” said Kadaga.
“It is a serious issue and I assure you that I feel your pain,” Kadaga added.
The Prime Minister of the Iteso Cultural Union Paul Sande Emorut, warned that further delay in revealing the details of the London report would increase anxiety and tension among the people of Tororo.
“It is good to give people information whether it is good or bad so that they can be at peace. All we need is peace,” said Emorut.
He added that as cultural leaders, they aim to promote peace and harmony
among the two tribes, which he said can be achieved by granting the Iteso their
own district.
“It is our concern as cultural leaders because these are our subjects. We
sympathise with our people because we get their cries on a daily basis,” Emorut
said.
The Chairperson of Tororo County Councillors, Rogers Peter Imaiduk,
presented a petition to Kadaga demanding that the London report be tabled
before Parliament.
“It is time Tororo is divided into two in accordance with the historical
boundaries,” added Imaiduk.
The Iteso have demanded for a separate district from the Jopadhola for over a decade saying that they are being marginalised in service delivery.
Meanwhile, the State Minister of Health (General Duties), Sarah Opendi asked
the Speaker to fast track the establishment of a seed secondary school in
Apetai Sub-County. Kadaga promised to write to the Minister of Education and
Sports.
“The only available school is very far from the sub-county and this has caused
so many girls to drop out of school. This has in turn affected the education
standards in this area,” said Opendi.
The fundraising event saw Kadaga together with Opendi and MPs; Herbert Kinobere (Ind. Kibuku County), James Angura (NRM, Tororo South County), Annet Nyaketcho (Ind. Tororo North County), Silas Aogon (Ind. Kumi Municipality) and Mariam Naigaga (NRM, Namutumba district) raise over Shs15m towards construction of the church.
