Alebtong, Nwoya are beneficiaries of US$43m LEGS program

Alebtong MPs have tasked government for service delivery following “bumper votes” the district gave.

Alebtong – 20, October 2021: Legislators hailing from Alebtong district have put a clear-cut case for a favored consideration in the distribution of national cake in appreciation for the massive votes garnered by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

This was on Tuesday during the launch of the Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) program by Raphael Magyezi, the local government minister at Alebtong town council.

Alebtong and Nwoya, are the only two districts in Northern Uganda that were selected by the ministry of local government to benefit from this project.

The US$43m project is being funded with a grant from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), according to Paul Kasule Mukasa, the national program manager.

Addressing the function, Moroto County MP, Samuel Okwir Odwee commended local government minister, Magyezi for his special love for the people of Alebtong district.

Yesterday was the second time that minister Magyezi visited Alebtong in two years, according to MP Okwir.

It should be recalled that minister Raphael “Gudi” Magyezi attended a memorial service of the victims of the LRA massacre in Abia, Moroto Alebtong some months ago.

Okwir assured Magyezi that a tractor that he gave to a farmers’ cooperative in Abia is well utilized by the community in boosting agricultural production, and added that Abia Seed secondary school was fully constructed.

Okwir, however, told Magyezi that Alebtong deserves more service delivery because her people massively voted for President Museveni and the NRM party in the 2021 elections.

“We asked our people to vote for the NRM because it has an agenda for socio-economic transformation, and projects like this are a testimony to what we promised them, but we are demanding that government considers us for more development programs,” Okwir told Magyezi.

He also demanded that the contractor transparently declares that the community will benefit from the LEGS project.

Dorcas Acen, the Woman MP of Alebtong, also buttressed the issues raised by Okwir and told minister Magyezi that Alebtong district is grappling with challenges of impassable roads which is affecting the marketing of agricultural produce and other commercial activities.

“Community access roads is a critical issue that should be addressed,” she said and also alerted Magyezi that the new administration units of Apala, Amugu, and Aloi Town councils as well as Adair and Angela sub-counties remain operational despite lack of budgetary allocation.

On his part, Ajuri County MP, Denis Hamson Obua who doubles as the state minister of sports reiterated the need for government to reward Alebtong for the vast support and votes it gave the NRM in the last polls.

“That district headquarters we passed by is historic because in 1961 it was the stronghold of UPC and it is where the late President Milton Obote used to conduct his consultative meetings,” minister Obua told his counterpart, Magyezi.

To prove his case, minister Obua noted that in 2001, NRM’s candidate got 7 votes while in the last elections Yoweri Kaguta Museveni polled 65.275%.

“If this was an exam, then this pupil or student would have improved in performance from F9 to D2 which is commendable ” the sports minister roared as the locals clapped in joy.

He lauded Magyezi for launching the LEGS program in Alebtong which will see the construction of a 10km road stretching from the Alebtong Town council to Awei sub-county.

“This road you are launching today has been a thorn in our flesh politically,” minister Obua observed.

Earlier, Alebtong district LCV chairman David Kennedy Odongo had told the minister that Alebtong has persistently featured in various reports as one of the poorest districts in Uganda, and said the LEGS project was a well-thought idea which if effectively implemented will improve the livelihoods of the community.

Odongo also named a stretch of road of about 2kms from Onekbonyo swamp to the Town council headquarters after Raphael Magyezi and Magyezi pledged to maintain the road.

Tonny Ogwal, the LCIII chairman of Alebtong town council however, asked the minister to consider revising the budget for lower local government units because the current funds disbursed by the government are insufficient.

According to Ogwal, Alebtong Town council had a population of 6,800 people as per the last housing and population census, but it has since more than doubled to 13,000 people who demand more service delivery yet the government is releasing the same budgetary allocation.

For instance, he says the Town council town has continued to receive a paltry shs98m from Uganda Road Fund yet they have to open more strategic roads to facilitate trade and agricultural production.

Minister Raphael Magyezi in his speech agreed with the MPs and pledged more development divestitures for the district.

He later enumerated several projects that Alebtong district will benefit from the LEGS project besides the 10.1 km road stretch that will be constructed by Kats Civil Construction and Water Ltd Company for shs864m.

Others include the construction of piped water and a water reservoir in Alanya, cage fish farming, a small-scale irrigation project, a cattle crush, and artificial insemination.

Apala Town council will also benefit from an oilseed factory, 4km of murram road, and electricity power extension, among others.