Amolatar residents seek accountability from MP Ocen and Minister Ogwang over Arwotcek Seed School funds

Angry residents of Arwotcek in Amolatar have vowed to block Kyoga North Member of Parliament, Geoffrey Ocen, and State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang, from visiting the area on Saturday November 14, 2026, unless they bring funds meant for the construction of Arwotcek Seed Secondary School.

The Minister is expected to preside over the handover of Ambulance secured by area MP to Etam HCIV, and he is also expected to pass over Arwotcek Seed Secondary School.

The resolution was reached on Friday during a community meeting called to address how the multi-million Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UGIFT) program funding for the school was diverted.

Local leaders had previously assured residents that the school would instead benefit from the Uganda Secondary Education Improvement Project (USEIP) fund—a project that has reportedly since fallen through.

Community furious and threats of blockades

During the heated meeting, a resident identified as Ojuka declared that he was mobilizing locals to bar the MP and the Minister from accessing the school premises.

Ojuka also revealed plans to meet with State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Dr Mercy Lakisa, on November 18, 2026, to directly present the community’s grievances.

Another resident, Emar, echoed these sentiments, warning that locals are ready to stop the Minister from speaking on Arwotcek school land if he intends to offer more empty promises

“What pains me most is that they forced us to demolish the only existing classroom block that was sheltering our students. It is deeply tragic,” lamented Okwir Ogang, another resident.

Omoro Dickens added that the community is fiercely protective of their school’s location and is prepared to march to Kampala to demand accountability.

Demands for accountability

The community is now demanding answers from the delegation that oversaw the site handover in 2024.

Residents want the following current and former district leaders to explain where the original funds went:

• Geoffrey Ocen (Current Kyoga North MP and former Amolatar LC5 chairperson)

• Josephine Acen Okullu (Former Amolatar District Education Officer)

• Samuel Paul (Former Chief Administrative Officer – CAO)

• Lyavala (Former Deputy Resident District Commissioner – RDC).

Conflicting district documents

Amolatar district councillors (both male and female) have thrown their weight behind the aggrieved residents.

According to council records, Arwotcek Seed Secondary School was officially designated to receive UGIFT funds to construct a three-classroom block, two science laboratories, and two five-stance pit latrines for boys and girls.

The site was formally handed over to contractors to begin work.

However, a separate document signed by the District Engineer, one Orech, and the former CAO, abruptly ordered the contractors to halt construction.

Reports indicate that the Ministry of Education and Sports originally dispatched shs 600million under the UGIFT project for Arwotcek.

However, district leadership later diverted these funds to Agikdak Seed Secondary School under the impression that Arwotcek would receive a larger funding package of shs3.5 billion under the USEIP project.

In a twist of events, after the community was forced to demolish its only functional classroom block to pave the way for the new USEIP project, Arwotcek was inexplicably dropped from the program entirely.

MP Geoffrey Ocen recently raised the matter on the floor of Parliament, questioning why the school was demolished and subsequently locked out of the funding cycle.

Founded in 2016, Arwotcek Seed Secondary School now faces total collapse, with students left stranded with no classrooms unless emergency funding is secured.