In a bold and visionary commitment to peacebuilding, Regina Grace Akullu, the aspiring Member of Parliament for Lamwo East Constituency, has pledged to establish a Women’s Cross-Border Peace Restoration and Development Initiative between Uganda and neighboring South Sudan.
The above, Akullu said, will take place if elected in the 2026 general elections.
Akullu made this pledge while addressing a gathering of women, elders, youth leaders, and local opinion leaders in Paloga sub-county, one of the sub-counties that shares a porous and often volatile border with South Sudan.
“As a woman, a mother, and a leader, I understand the pain that conflict brings to families and communities,” Akullu said.
“When women are empowered to lead peace efforts, societies heal faster. My vision is to create a cross-border women’s platform for dialogue, trauma healing, peace education, and livelihood restoration.”
For decades, communities in Lamwo district particularly in sub-counties like Paloga, Madi Opei, Agoro and Lokung have borne the brunt of cross-border conflict. These include cattle raids, abductions, and general insecurity that hinder farming, trade, and education.
Margaret Nyeko, 54, of Paloga, said Akullu’s initiative resonates with the needs on the ground adding that if Akullu can help women speak to their sisters across the border and build understanding, they are ready to support her fully.
“We the women are the ones who suffer most. When there’s fighting, we lose our sons, our food, our homes,” Nyeko said.
Akullu’s proposal includes establishing women-led peace task forces in each border sub-county, organizing joint peace forums with women leaders from South Sudan, and creating income-generating projects like cross-border trade and agribusiness to reduce dependency on cattle and raiding.
“My goal is not just to preach peace, but to create opportunities that reduce the temptation of conflict,” Akullu added. “We must replace the gun with the garden hoes.”
The initiative has already drawn interest from civil society actors and local NGOs who see potential for sustainable change through community-led solutions.
Balmoi Isaac, a youth leader from Paloga sub county, praised Akullu’s approach saying that many politicians talk about roads and schools, but few talk about peace. He said without peace, nothing else matters. “If she keeps this promise, she will change lives,” he said.
As campaigns pick momentum across Uganda, Akullu Grace Regina is positioning herself not just as a development-oriented leader but also as a peace ambassador, one who understands that healing conflict-torn communities requires both heart and policy.
Her message is clear: empower women, restore peace, and build cross-border solidarity for a better, safer Lamwo.
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