{UAH} Pojim/WBK: Museveni woos Lango, promises sanitary pads

http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/40997-museveni-woos-lango-promises-sanitary-pads

Museveni woos Lango, promises sanitary pads

Written by Edris Kiggundu

Last Updated: 13 November 2015

Museveni with a traditional Acholi spear and shield

LIRA - The last time President Museveni campaigned in Lango in November 2010, he promised that his government would reconstruct the sub-region which suffered considerably from the 20-year Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion.

Five years later, Lango is bustling with energy and a new sense of belief. New hotels and buildings have come up in places like Dokolo and Alebtong. There are a number of new small agricultural processing factories in Otuke county, while the night life in Lira town is vibrant as people move from one entertainment spot to another.

Yet beneath this sliver of progress, there remain challenges such as high poverty levels, impassable roads and youth unemployment. This week, as Museveni traversed the sub-region canvassing support, he vowed to tackle these problems.

"We do not work on lies or propaganda. We use yole, yole (prioritisation). So, we are going to extend electricity to areas that don't have it such that factories can come up and create jobs," Museveni said in Dokolo town on Wednesday.

The incumbent said starting with the next financial year, loans under the government's microfinance scheme shall be sent directly to village groups through Gombolola (sub-county) chiefs. Previously, people accessed the loans at district level after a long bureaucratic process that eliminated poor people.

"It is meant for the poor. It is not correct to ask them for security, for land titles…," he said of the loans.

In Dokolo, there were complaints by some youths that they had not yet received money from the youth fund. The president said the youth fund will be given a bigger budget allocation next financial year.

Museveni, who addressed rallies using a mixture of English and the local language, Lango, promised to put aside money for cattle compensation – a move he said will be fast-tracked. 
BIG RALLY

The president's biggest rally in the sub-region was held yesterday in Lira municipality at the golf course grounds. Museveni who arrived amidst pounding rainfall promised that beginning next financial year, girls in a UPE-funded school was going to be given free sanitary pads.

"I have discovered that girls drop out of schools in rural areas because they lack pads; now beginning next year, they will get them [pads] free of charge," he said. 
Museveni further promised free exercise books and mathematical sets to UPE pupils in upper classes.

Among other things, the president promised to set up what he called a ladies fund which he said will help women get capital such that they can create income-generating activities.

Throughout his time in the Lango sub-region, Museveni has not spoken ill of his former nemesis Dr Apollo Milton Obote. The former president, who died exactly ten years ago, remains a revered figure here. 

"On the outside I'm NRM but inside I'm UPC," said one of the men attending Museveni's rally.

Museveni has worked hard to mend his relations with Lango and Obote's family in particular, ever since the former president's death. He has built a house for Obote's brother and repaired the family residence in Kololo in addition to visiting the home and extending an olive branch to James Akena, the Lira municipality MP. 
NEXT STOP

Today (Friday), the president is expected to wind up his tour of Lango with rallies in Kole and Apac, where Obote, the founding UPC leader, hailed from. On Saturday, he is expected to start his tour of West Nile with a rally in Nebbi and Arua.

President Museveni welcomed by his supporters on arrival in Alebtong

It still remains to be seen whether the president will build on the support he got here in the 2011 elections. He scooped 57 per cent of the votes here, winning in all the eight districts that make up the sub-region that was a fortress of the opposition only five years earlier.

It is believed that the defeat of the LRA, which had terrorised the area, is what paid political dividends more than anything else. 
CLIPPING WINGS

Museveni's rallies in the sub-region have been well attended by enthusiastic people who years gone by would be hesitant to identify themselves with NRM. Secondly, the party has spared no resources in its mobilisation activities here. Yellow T-shirts and other NRM publicity materials are very visible.

Felix Okot Ogong, the Dokolo county MP, told The Observer on Wednesday that NRM is working tooth and nail to increase on their support in Lango.

"For the last four days, we have not slept. We have been moving from village to village mobilising people to give Mzee votes," he said.

Ogong added that in Dokolo, the government needs to work on the roads and build more schools. Dokolo has only eight secondary schools, two of which are privately-owned.

Still, the influence of the opposition, especially the Uganda People's Congress (UPC), particularly in Lira and Alebtong districts, cannot be underestimated. These towns are littered with posters of numerous UPC candidates vying for various positions.

Museveni has been quick to recognise the influence of UPC here and has been cautious not to launch vicious attacks on the party. Michael Okello, who is standing as a Lira municipal councillor on the UPC ticket, told The Observer yesterday that NRM support here is cosmetic.

"People pretend to support NRM because it splashes money. But deep down, they support UPC because of its values," Okello said.

The NRM vice-chairman for northern Uganda, Sam Engola, said their plan was to completely "eradicate" the opposition from the sub-region. 
ekiggundu@observer.ug

Museveni woos Lango, promises sanitary pads

http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/40997-museveni-woos-lango-promises-sanitary-pads

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