Mixed reactions from Lira as NRM marks 36th liberation day

Lira City Division Mayor wants NRM government to treat Northern Uganda equally like other regions in the country.

By Isabella Awor Olong

Lira – January 26, 2022: The National Resistance Movement (NRM) government celebrated its 36th liberation anniversary on Wednesday, January 26.

The national fete took place at Kololo independence grounds in Kampala under the theme: “…a call to duty for all compatriots to contribute towards Uganda’s socio-economic transformation journey”. Gen. Museveni Yoweri was the chief guest.

36 years later, some people in Lango sub-region believes that the NRM government has not done much for the sub-region even when Museveni had to make dozens of pledges.

TND News Isabella Awor spoke to some men and a woman earlier in the day, among them an 80-year-old widow, Tereza Otim.

Tereza is currently residing in Lira City. She said her husband (late Engineer John Otim) died during Museveni’s regime and she was supposed to get the pension.

Besides doing everything needed to secure the deceased’s annuity, she said nothing came into fruition to date.

“It would have helped me in paying the orphans’ school fees and our upkeep.”

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She also compared Museveni’s regime with that of the British, saying, “The British’ regime was better because the commodities were very cheap. In Museveni’s regime commodities and goods are very expensive for instance soap, sugar, clothes.”

According to her, life is extremely hard under Museveni.

The widow also decried the state of Lira-Kamdini road leading to Oyam where her village home is.

“This (road) has caused a lot of road crashes and teared many vehicle tyres. I request the road be worked on,” she added.

While she knows many bad things about this government, there are few good ones, she said.

“I have benefited from this regime, the money they give to the elderly people, shs25, 000 every month. There is need for an increment because the money can’t do much.”

George Okello Ayo (UPC), Mayor of Lira City East Division said during the NRM regime the level of poverty is so alarming, unemployment faced by the youth, poor infrastructure development and poor road networks.

While the NRM principal, Gen. Yoweri boast of a secure country, to Ayo, Uganda is insecure.

He wants the NRM government to treat Northern Uganda fairly, the region that faced the LRA and other insurgencies for decades.

Other than considering other regions first, the Division Mayor wants the government to consider Northern Uganda so it can only move together with other regions.

Isabella also had time to ask Joshua Akejo, the NRM administrative secretary of Lira District. Akejo applauded the people of Lango and Uganda as a whole for “voting NRM overwhelmingly to power”.

“We are committed to implementing the manifestoes to the dot and we are going to deliver as promised,” he promised.

According to Akejo, NRM has achieved a lot: there is peace in the country, presence of government schools that are being elevated.

He cited Dr Obote College, St. Catherine SS, Lango College, VH Public School, among others.

Akejo added that health facilities are being upgraded from health centre IIs to IIIs and IVs, adding that in Lango NRM is going to build four new district hospitals soon in Alebtong, Aboke and Ogur.

However, on the challenges, he said there are issues with road connectivity in Lango sub-region. “As a government, we intend to achieve that as we engage with line ministries, leaders at Parliament level; local government level such that the issues are handled to promote development.”

Speaking on corruption, he said, “It calls for a joint effort from the citizens much as government is doing their part to do away with the vice.”

NRM liberation day is a national holiday in Uganda observed every January 26 to mark the successful overthrow of the previous government by a group of NRA rebels in 1986 under the command of the current President Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.