Oyam | Molly Oyuku of Akaidebe Village, Western Ward B, Oyam town council is dissatisfied with the condition of the road in front of her house leading to the Upper centre.
“We are tired of our leaders. Everytime they are saying the road is in the plan, in the plan. Every year, it is planned but never worked on. These political leaders are starting their campaigns in Acaba sub-county and moving on to the town council. They must come and pass through this road, and see with their eyes,” she said on July 11.
Oyuku appears determined to rally residents to vote out the current political leaders for not doing enough. “We are going to vote them out of office and bring back the likes of Adea Mogo-amoga.”
She claimed that the current leaders, such as LC5 chairman Dila Benson Oyuku and Oyam town council LC3 chirman Okello Stephen have refused to be humble and do not listen to the concerns of the locals.
“We are tired and such leaders will be voted out this time. We want change.
“We are tired of the status of this road, and it’s the same one used by the district chairman,” said a voter of Oyam town council. 
A resident of Tekulu village, Oyam town council, this voter, like Molly, stated that every year they are told the “road is planned for.”
Dila, speaking at various NRM joint campaigns last week, blamed COVID-19 for Oyam district’s slow development and low performance.
For two years, he claimed that the district was unable to receive government funding due to lockdowns.
Dila said that his administration, which has been in power for four years, has used money from the international NGO JW Well to drill 386 boreholes throughout Oyam. “Central government gave me 48 boreholes,” he said.
On a broader call to leave Oyam district leadership due to poor road networks, struggling health and education systems, nepotism, and corruption, Dila stated, “I am not satisfied with the four years I have led Oyam district.”
“Oyam has 572km of roads. However, the money govemenent gives me to work on these roads is shs1b. District like Otuke with at least 200km of roads is also given shs1b, Kole district the same amount. Mitooma district with only three sub-counties is given shs1b. This makes my kilometres too big to be worked on but I have tried.”
“I have worked on all small roads in Iceme, and only remaining with the main road from the district to the headquarters which we worked on in 2023. The road is like eating. After eating, you have to eat again. We worked on the roads but it’s dead.”
As of last week, Dila stated that a grader was working on a road connecting Tegony Primary School in Iceme to Obong. “I travelled through it and did an inspection. This morning, they are leveling. That grader will not leave here (Iceme), It will leave here to start working on the road from Iceme to Oyam town council.”
Last week, Patrick Ogwal Ojok, an NRM candidate for the LC5 flag, asked Dila to drop out. Ogwal, a former councillor for Kamdini sub-county on Oyam district council, told the joint campaign that Dila’s time is up.
“To become a district chairman, it is not just about talking but making decisions,” Dila said, adding that Ogwal and another candidate he mentored and groomed, Emmanuel Oyite, are “still children” who cannot lead Oyam.
“I am now 50 years old. This is an age for leadership. My boys of 20+, 30 years are not weak. Let them first go to the district council, let them first go to their respective sub-counties to contest and win. Some contested in their sub-counties and failed.”
Dila said holding the flag must mean winning the general election, claiming that Ogwal and Oyite are still children.
Oyite, who was campaigning in Loro town council last week, encouraged young people to knock on the door of leadership on July 24. He stated that matters of road and health have deteriorated with many young people hardly having money in their pockets.
“If we agree and elect a young district chairman, we will effect change. I am now 37 years old. Those who think I am still young, in 1962 when Obote (Apollo Milton) took over power, he was 37 years – that’s my age today.
“In 1979 when Amin was in power, our own from Loro here, Oyite Ojok was 39 years old then. He announced the fall of Amin’s government in Kampala. Now, I want to make a call to the youth: ‘this is now our time…if we can’t take over Oyam, that is going to be our problem.’”
Oyite, pointing at Dila, said he (Dila) started his politics as a youth and was elected a sub-county LC3 chairperson.
“I respect him because he’s my head of laity for the Diocese of West Lango. I respect old people like Dila because I am maturing from his branch,” Oyite said, drawing laughter from the crowds.
“I should have joined the public service in Oyam but if you don’t have shs10m, shs5m, shs3m you don’t get it. I am requesting you: on July 24, go and line up behind a competent Oyite, who is knowledgeable.”
“Chairman, a young man you mentored and groomed is now mature. Let me take over, and I’ll still work with you,” Oyite told Dila.
While in Loro, Ogwal stated that Oyam district lacks a leader, arguing that he is capable of getting things done. “Budget dichotomy of Oyam: Loro gives Oyam shs45m in local revenue, Kamdini gives Oyam shs60m in local revenue, Minakulu generates shs30m. Unfortunately, nothing comes back here, including a mere toilet for a market.
“Your money is not even used to paint the structure of Adigo Health Centre II. All this is happening yet we have leadership.
“Out of five people who lead Oyam (as executives) under the leadership of Benson Dila, none hail from Oyam South. From Minakulu, nobody in the executive is from the NRM party or hails from Oyam South,” Ogwal noted.
“I have only served for four years,” Dila replied, requesting for a flag to compete with opposition candidates in 2026.
“You have the power to give me the flag. I have worked and left some work to finish. If you give me another chance, I’ll continue to perform.”
Adea Akar ready for continuation
In an interview with tndNews on July 12, Nelson Adea Akar, former Oyam district LC5 chairman said he will reclaim the district chair. Adea, currently the chairman of the UPC party in Oyam, said, “Dila has changed Oyam into the negatives.”
“We (as UPC) are competing to retain our positions. We feel we were cheated and we are going to retain it,” the UPC chairman said.
Speaking about Dila’s four years as the district boss, Adea said, “There has been a deep decline in Oyam. Things have really gone negatives. We had raised Oyam to almost the second position in the country and when i was in power I went outside the country more than four times and in these goings I was lobbying.”
“I feel the district has gone down, Dila has destroyed the little I brought to the district. How they are even managing the recruitment: you want to be a sub-county chief, you pay over shs11m (we have evidence). You want to be a clinical officer, you pay over shs15m; you want to be a principal assistant secretary, some people paid shs13m and they have not been given jobs; others even paid much more.”
Asked about the evidence of his claims targeting Dila, Adea, replied: “There are so many complaints. You wait when my friend goes out, so many people will follow him up.”
“Will you also follow him up incase you take over your LC5 seat?” tndNews asked him. “Yeah. Where there is evidence we have to follow him, he has to refund peoples’ money. These are poor people from Oyam, why do you cheat them to that level?”