Francesca Ondoa of Vuorapi village in Moyo sub-county is one of those who lost three relatives during the nasty border conflict between the residents of Moyo and Kajokeji in South Sudan last year.
Ondoa, 42, on Thursday walked for 3km to Celecelea stadium in Moyo town to hear what the NRM presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni would say about the border row.
The mother of six, who is also now looking after two children of a deceased relative, said she expected compensation from the Government and most importantly a permanent solution of the border crisis.
Indeed, the Moyo-South Sudan border was a key issue in Museveni’s speech with pledge to compensate for the burnt houses and cattle.
“First of all, I want to begin with the issue of the houses that were burned and the cattle lost. The Attorney General will compensate these houses and cows. The Attorney General may be busy because it is election time, I will send the Solicitor General to camp in the region and start negotiations with the affected people,” Museveni said.
He also promised to dispatch the balance of the iron sheets part of the batch that was expected from that the Office of the Prime Minister.
So far1,500 iron sheets have been given to victims out of the expected 3,500. The long-standing Moyo- South Sudan dispute flared up in September last year, leaving hundreds many homeless .
Museveni said he has not concluded resolving the matter although the border demarcation is clear in the Ugandan Constitution; schedule two and page 199.
The President read to the huge crowds a schedule of Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (page 202) which spell out details of the border.
“The Uganda-South Sudan border follows in a straight line to the source of river Kaya, then along the thalweg (the lowest line of the valley) of river Kaya downstream to its confluence with the unnamed river which runs immediately south of Chei and Lodwa rocks, and then in a northerly direction; then in an easterly direction in a straight line to a point on the western summit of the hill Kirwa marked by a surface beacon……. so this is very clear,” Museveni said schedule two of the Constitution reaffirms what was in the agreements between the British and other colonialists who lived in the two countries.
He said the delayed resolution of the standoff was partially due to the civil war in South Sudan.
“When they settle down, we shall sort this out. You remember the time I came here with President Salva Kiir and we went to the border where we found some Kuku elders,” Museveni recalled.
At the rally, Museveni also explained the history and achievements of the NRM anchoring them on unity, strength and development.
“When I was landing, my pilot had to be very careful because there is a new situation in Moyo which was not there before. These are electricity lines. If the pilot was not very careful, you would hear that your President entered into electricity lines and has gone to heaven prematurely,” he told the waving and cheering supporters.
Museveni said he is happy about the electricity supply to Moyo. Observing that the tarmac road has been extended from Atiak to Gulu and another section to Oraba from Arua he pledged that Government would tarmac the Atyak-Adjumani-Moyo-Koboko road.
Through prioritisation, we shall achieve that,” the President assured the people, as he urged them to adopt modern agriculture to create wealth at homes and fight poverty.
Museveni promised to inject more funds into the NAADs programme under the Operation Wealth Creation so as to supply more seedlings for planting for farmers. At a campaign rally at Mijali village Boma grounds in Yumbe town council, he said lack of supervision was stalling the microfinance fund.
Museveni also revealed that before Maj. Gen. Ali Bamuze’s death, the two had discussed plans to renovate Lokopyo Hill Technical School. He also promised that government would construct the Abikina power station to boost the electricity supply in the region.
Over 300 members from the Forum for Democratic Change led by Aluma Twaha, the chairperson FDC Yumbe town council pressure crossed to the NRM.
