Presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni has started his campaign rallies in Teso region. He held his first rally this morning at Katakwi district headquarters.
NRM supporters at Atoroma Primary School, Toroma parish, Toroma sub-county in Toroma county of Katakwi district are in mood of receiving their presidential candidate.
The state minister of Teso affairs Christine Amongin says after the Government of NRM fulfilling most of its pledges for the Teso people, Museveni is going to win with 80% compared to 68% in 2011.
“What is remaining is the issue of dams, which will be constructed to stop floods in the area. As a ministry, we have finalized arrangements to construct the 53 dams in Teso. Two of them are under construction here in Katakwi,” she adds.
Education minister Jesca Alupo says there are some of the pledges that government has fulfilled, such as Soroti Public University, which is about to begin, the fruit factory, which has been constructed and restocking of people’s herds.
The NRM vice-chairman Eastern region Captain Mike Mukula says the party’s Central Executive Committee has agreed to have some party members who did not agree with the results from the recently held primaries to contest as independent candidates, but still remain NRM members.
“Although I am going to contest as an independent candidate, I am still NRM and I want to say NRM is still as strong as before in Teso region, “ Alupo said.
President Yoweri Museveni’s message at his first rally in the Teso sub-region, was of reconciliation among the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party membership, especially after the primary elections.
The message from the party’s fag-bearer did not come out of the blue, but was prompted by the apparent animosity among the top party cadres who took part in the elections that were largely characterised by irregularities.
During the rally at Katakwi Secondary School in Katakwi sub-county yesterday, Usuk County MP flag-bearer Peter Ogwang, asked the President to prevail upon persons claiming to be sent by his office to contest in the district. Ogwang had been invited by Museveni to be officially introduced as the county’s flag-bearer.
“Your Excellency, I would like you to clarify on the people claiming to have been sent by your office. Some of my colleagues are lying to the people, claiming you sent them to contest,” he said.
“Your Excellency, the resident district commissioner here has conflict of interest. Can you transfer him to another district so that we can have free and fair elections here?” he asked as Museveni looked on.
As the rally wound up, the President summoned education minister Jessica Alupo, who lost the Katakwi district Woman MP primaries; her rival, Viola Akurut, who defeated her and Ogwang for reconciliation.
“We had primary elections which had a lot of diff culties, but it is a good exercise and it is something we shall continue doing. You should not divide voters. You are all NRM people. You are all my children. So, I want you to be united. The ones who wanted to go with Mbabazi went with him and the ones who wanted to go with Besigye went with him. Anybody who did not go with Besigye or Mbabazi is an NRM member. I will get time and discuss with your leaders, Ogwang, Akurut and the minister and all the others so that you become one,” he said to ululations from the crowd.
NRM Achievements
Museveni, in his first rally, held in Atoroma Primary School in Toroma county, asked the people to vote for him and all the NRM flag-bearers. “In the coming elections, I call upon you to vote for the NRM. Vote for the old man with a hat. Vote for the NRM flag- bearers so that we continue with the progress we are registering,” he said.
He called on the people to maintain the NRM government in power for peace and development of the country. “People in Katakwi are my witnesses. I know how you suffered at the hands of the Karimojong cattle warriors and you know how you achieved peace. Toroma is now peaceful, Usuk is peaceful and the whole of Katakwi and Teso is peaceful. What remains now is getting rid of ican (poverty), so that each home is prosperous,” he said.
Museveni told voters to always bear in mind the main pillars of NRM that include unity, strength, peace and development. He elaborated that unity is what distinguishes NRM from all other groups, because the party values everybody. 
He stressed that NRM is a strong party that has managed to pacify the whole country. Flanked by the NRM vice- chairman for eastern region, Capt. Mike Mukula and other top NRM leaders, Museveni catalogued many achievements of the NRM government, including the education sector, rural electrification, road construction and healthcare.
“NRM is a strong party, that is why there is peace everywhere in the country. Although there is not enough money to do everything at once, we have made steady progress,” he said, citing the electricity that has been extended to Katakwi and a ferry that is due to be inaugurated on Lake Bisina.
Museveni sent the crowd into wild cheers when he said power would soon be extended to Toroma county, while another ferry would be introduced on Lake Bisina to ease transport between Katakwi and Kumi districts.
Priorities
The NRM candidate stated his next priorities after the elections as: Increased funding of the National Agricultural Advisory Services programme, recapitalising the youth fund, women’s fund and micro-finance, innovation funds to support scientists.
Museveni said the Government would next year take up the provision of scholastic materials to primary school pupils. The Government, he said, would also provide sanitary pads to the school-going girls, citing the lack of the pads as one of the reasons girls drop out of school.
Voters’ needs
Although he did not talk about the Social Protection Grant, where elderly people in pilot districts receive sh50,000 every two months, the funding is an inspiration for 80-year old Vagilina Akol.
Akol, one of the hundreds who braved the scorching sun to wait for the address of her candidate, Museveni, said she wished to extend a message of gratitude to the President for thinking about the elderly.
The frail resident of Akarukei in Kapujan sub-county, about 7km from the venue, said: “I thank Museveni because I can buy clothes and sandals for myself. I even have bedsheets, which I could not afford before,” she said.
But Akol has another concern she wants addressed, the lack of medicine in health centres. Clad in a black cardigan, green long skirt and red slippers, Akol, expressed concern that due to her advanced age, she can no longer control her urine.
“I have been to the health centre, but no medic has explained to me the cause of this condition nor given her any medicine,” she lamented.
Martin Opio’s case is of hell in his own home. “I cannot feed my family. A Uganda People’s Defence Forces soldier grabbed my land and has threatened to kill me. I have walked to all offices of authorities here, but even the Police are afraid of him. If I had an opportunity, I would tell Museveni that his boy has made my life and that of my family miserable,” the 65-year-old from Ocwalakweny in Orimai Kapujan sub-county said.
Although he did not talk about the land conf icts in the area, Museveni expressed sympathy to the people who are currently experiencing floods in the area. “Sorry about the roads that have been cut off. Rain is good, but there is a problem when floods cut off roads. We shall have a solution to it.”
He said the Government would provide every district with enough road equipment to maintain the roads. “We have bought road equipment from Japan, so each district will have a wheel loader, a road compressor, two tipper lorries and other equipment. He lashed out at the opposition presidential candidates who are promising to raise teachers’ pay, saying it is unrealistic. He said while he appreciates the need to raise teachers’ salaries, the Government needs to prioritise its activities.
Hepatitis B
Museveni was glad to note that all newborn babies were being immunised against Hepatitis B. He said the Government will soon develop a programme to immunise adults as well.He counselled those already affected by Hepatitis B not to panic, as medical doctors would guide them on what to do.
Later, Museveni received over 20 defectors from other Opposition parties, who crossed over to NRM.Museveni addressed the third rally at Kapelebyong in Amuria district. Today, he is expected to address rallies in Orungo county in Amuria and Kaberamaido and Soroti.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Bosco Aliabu a resident of Kapujan sub-county, Toroma county,
Warriors have settled on our land. Our infrastructures such as schools have few teachers and our roads are also bad so these are some of the issues I pray that the president tackles.
Augustine Oitangole 23years old resident of Toroma county
We want more jobs for the youth like me who have studied and have nothing to do due to the level of unemployment in our region.
