By Juma Seyyid
TORORO
SUNDAY 10/11/2024
President Yoweri Museveni has once again broken silence on the Tororo district question pitting the people of Tororo County against their counterparts from West Budama on the split of Tororo into more districts.
Museveni said he is waiting for both parties to agree on a position after their continued quarrels and fights over creation of more districts out of Tororo that is impacting negatively on service delivery.
He was responding to questions during a press briefing with Journalists from Bukedi and Bugisu sub-regions at the State Lodge in Mbale City on Saturday morning, 9th November 2024.
The President said if you see people are not reasonable, you leave them and if you try to force too much, you also end up making mistakes.
Museveni said he recently received good news from the Vice President, Jesica Alupo, that the two parties are about to agree on a position because they seem to be getting tired of fighting.
“The Bateso wanted to be split, so when it came to splitting; the Bateso said we want to go with Tororo Municipality because it’s part of Tororo County. But the Badama didn’t want to split. They said they will die here. You go but without Tororo municipality. For me, I am a farmer from Ntungamo. I left them? I didn’t want to impose anything on you people,” Museveni asserted.
On the stalled 620 million dollars fertilizer factory in Osukuru, Tororo, the head of state attributed the entire mess on a group of Ugandans smartly dressed in suits driving expensive cars.
He said the Chinese investor came doing a good job but was hijacked by this group of Ugandans in suits and stole all his money for investments by taking bribes.
Museveni explained that when he came to realize, the Chinese had been milked to the extent he became energyless to continue with the project.
Upon inquiry, the President said the Chinese was able to identify all those who took bribes from him but he had not captured any evidence to pin them.
“The Chinese man was doing a great work but he didn’t know your people. Your people stole money from him. They were busy taking bribes from him.by the time I realized, the man had run out of energy. So I said who took bribes from you, he told me so and so. But there was no evidence because he had not bothered to get evidence. So, I know who stole money from the Chinese. I know it, their names. I see them in meetings dressed in suits. But my Chinese man couldn’t capture evidence to send them to jail” The President explained.
“We don’t want to be involved too much in government investments/parastatals. The private sector does better. We shall get a solution because the money is there, fertilizer is there. Even one of the investors came back. The lady is there”. Museveni added.
On wealth creation according to the President, the NRM government has always come up with several interventions such as the four acre model type of farming to help Ugandans fight poverty and create wealth.
Museveni addressed concerns over cases of misappropriation and extortion in PDM saying such issues could be minimized if communities were more vigilant about electing leaders who prioritize accountability.
He blamed many Ugandans for not listening to NRM advise and that is why extortion is high in PDM adding that the population elect leaders who have given them bribes and not quality.
On wetland encroachment, the President acknowledged that some communities may have been misled into farming within wetlands, but he announced that the government will compensate the affected residents.
He said after resettlement on the edges of swamps, they will be encouraged to transition from rice farming to fish farming which preserves wetland ecosystems and allows for sustainable water use through irrigation.
On the other hand, the President urged cultural leaders to respect their boundaries, cautioning that interference in government matters could lead to conflicts between cultural institutions and the state.
The Head of State stated that to go forward, the government will increase funding to PDM as tax revenue grows, which further enables communities to access economic opportunities.
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