Following Otuke East MP Acon Bua’s athletics competition that ended last week in the America (USA) he has brought immense joy to the people of Otuke East, he said.

MP Acon was ranked number two in the athletics competition that took place in California, USA, and was awarded a sum of money, which he immediately converted into 1,000 goats.

These goats are set to be distributed among different groups in Otuke district as a way of empowering them to escape poverty.

Speaking to tndNews, Uganda, on Tuesday in a phone interview, Acon, Ugandan Olympian for life, confirmed that during Uganda’s Independence Day celebrations, he was ranked number two in the athletics competition held in California.

Then, on October 15, he was again ranked number two in a competition that took place in the USA, where he was awarded some cash.

“I have converted the money into goats, and it will also be used to drill three new boreholes for my community in Otuke,” he said.

Also read: The Acon’s 2,000-plus goats to 6 VSLAs in Otuke East, West

On the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, MP Acon assured the House that the money he won in the recent athletics competitions will be converted into goats.

The goats, he said, will be distributed to different groups and new boreholes for the people of Otuke East County as a way of kicking out poverty within the local community.

He noted that the distribution will start early next week for the remaining groups.

MP Acon also urged group leaders to start organising their members ahead of the scheduled distribution so that everyone can access the goats.

He called for cooperation and appealed to members of the different groups who have already received their goats to avoid selling them with the motive of drinking alcohol.

“Let us use them for money generation so that all households should at least have a goat in their homes,” he noted.

He also mentioned that water points will be drilled in Alebtong district, Ogor sub-county, Olilim sub-county, and Otuke town council.

The MP added that this project of giving goats to different groups started in 2023, and so far about 2,000 goats have been given out to ensure that each beneficiary receives and uses one for money generation.

“Today, I want to announce that about 300 goats will be given out, and next month, in October, other groups will also benefit from this project,” he stated.

The “boy who runs, Acon,” has called for togetherness among group members and condemned the habit of selling things that could change one’s life at a very low price.

“Let us keep them so that their numbers increase and we use them for paying school fees, medical bills, etc.,” he advised.

Among the groups that benefited from this project is the Omare Wunu Women’s Group, located in Ogwete sub-county, Otuke East, where about 50 group members received goats, with an additional male goat.

Speaking on behalf of the members, the group’s chairperson, Janet, appreciated MP Achon for always being supportive of the local community with different projects such as drilling boreholes and distributing seeds.

“Achon is a real leader sent by God to rescue the people of Otuke,” she said.

Acon also questioned Parliament regarding the sum of shs2.3 billion that was allocated in 2018 for the construction of Ogwete Seed Secondary School, and the money was transferred back, leaving his sub-county without a seed secondary school.

“This has become a song. Why could money budgeted since 2018 go back and never come back? We want that money back,” he said.

According to MP Acon, Got Ojwang parish in Olilim sub-county has a total of 22 villages without any government-aided schools.

“Therefore, we call upon the government to intervene on this matter so that our children can access learning facilities.”

He was responding to the report presented by the Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang, on the education system that the government is going to implement in some government schools across the country.