By Mike Rwothomio
Hundreds of Zombo locals have ” penned down” their names to hold a peaceful demonstration about sorry state of roads and footbridges in Different parts of the District.
According to the mobilizers, This innitiative that will involve Locals from all over the district is to reawaken government about the plights people of Zombo are going through occasioned by the sorry state of roads.
They also say this peaceful demonstration is being organized to remind government about myriad of some unfulfilled repeated promises about working on the roads.
The roads have become house hold discussions amongst locals because it’s current slippery , muddy and impassable couples with the pounding rain the place is experiencing.The roads also turns super dusty during dry season.
Sam Rwothomio, one of the mobilizers and a concerned citizen is moving in various offices to distribute their letter of notification.
He said ” we have taken the letters to all the offices . The RDC, LCV, LC3s have all received their copies.” By Press Time, The leaders have not confirmed receiving the letter yet.
Asked how they plan to hold this peaceful demonstration, He assured this reporter that ” we shall move in a group of three, one group will start from Warr, Others from Paidha and some from Zeu”.He added that the march would end in Zombo Town Council with speeches from Various leaders including The Resident District Commissioner and The LCV chairperson.
He said their motive is to hold peaceful demonstration and warn participants against disrupting the event through chaos.
If it happens, it will be the first time in history for a peaceful demonstration of that sort to take place in the district.
The team has earmarked October 25, 2023 as the date for this would_ be historical event.
Francis Bolingo, The District councillor of Athuma Sub_County who subscribes to The Opposition Party Alliance for national transformation said all hands should be on the deck to remind government about what people of Zombo needs. He added that the event should be peaceful saying it’s aim at passing out a key message about the pertinent issue affecting the people to the government.
The mobilizers say their peaceful demonstration walk will end in Zombo Town Council with speeches from some councillors, LCV chairperson, The Resident District Commissioner amongst others.
The mobilizers say no one is funding them and it’s a passion driven move by all the right thinking people of Zombo who cares about the well_being Of all regardless.
Hiccups
Some of the mobilizers this publication talked to say many people are trying to discourage them from holding the peaceful demonstration by issuing them threatening messages.
Sam Rwothomio, one of the youths championing the campaign against sorry state of roads in Zombo said
“I am being branded as a rebel because of mobilizing people for this peaceful Demonstration and plans are on the way to arrest me, am here in Paidha.
This is an activity that is totally allowed by the constitution of Uganda. Nobody should be a coward, it’s time we as the people of Zombo to unite, am not intimidated by the threats but only one mission ” he said.
One said ” people are bringing alot of discouraging messages especially on our wasup platform but thanks for the overwhelming support from the majority”.
” We shall not be taken aback by the negative forces amidst us , the roads affects everyone regardless. Wether you discourage us , this time peaceful demonstration is the way to go ” He asserted
“This is to inform the members here that we have people who have joined this group specifically to spy on others and that is according to the threat am getting in my inbox” Another person posted.
Its not clear who is threatening the mobilizers.
No political party involved
Sam Rwothomio, one of the mobilizers say the peaceful demonstration plan is not politically motivated and no one shall be allowed to carry any political party T’ shirts or symbols.
The theme is dubbed ” Zombo roads also matters”.
Why now,
According to the organisers, promises over promises have been made by all sort of leaders about especially the 119 killometres of the most important road from Nebbi, Paidha, Zombo, Zeu ,Warr Vurra Road. For years they say there has been repeated words of ” we shall work on the road”.
Many people who turned up in big numbers to specifically listened to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Last year in Atyak Sub_County Zombo District went back in total frustration after the President said the road would be worked upon soon without specifying when.
The National Resistant movement Government since 1996 have been having a softer landing in Zombo in terms of votes. In May this year, The state minister in charge of privatisation Evalyne Anite presented a trophy to the leadership of Zombo for their massive and overwhelming support to the NRM Party in the 2021 general election when President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni visited West Nile Sub region. The trophy elicited torrent of scathing criticisms from majority of the people of Zombo who said the reward should be converted to service delivery.
What are the leaders saying.
For close to a month now, robust campaign and mobilization about the October 25th peaceful demonstration has been ongoing but no leader has come out to either support or condemn the idea.
The security are also tigh_lipped.
One of the senior politician who preferred not to be named said he is a staunch NRM Party supporter but the issue of the sorry state of Zombo roads deserve a peaceful demonstration.
” You know how our roads is, if is not because of anything, I will be in the forefront but I cant do that now” He told this Publication.
Many politicians this Publication talked to are caught up between the hard place and the rock.Some feel if they don’t show up , their political career will go down the drain as 2026 is approaching since the whole campaign is being championed by the youths who are majority of the over 250,000 population of Zombo, but at the same time,many are fearing reprisal from the government and the party they subscribes to.
The practice of demonstration in Uganda be it peaceful or not on several occasions have be thwarted by law enforcers without fear or favor.
This is the first time that Zombo people are going to show their grievances through peaceful demonstration, it’s unclear wether the march will go un_disrupted.
Apparently, T’shirts With logos ” Zombo road also matters ” is being printed and many people in Zombo are ordering for it.
For ages, people have been bearing the brunt of the sorry state of roads in Nebbi and Zombo that is along the Uganda_DR Congo border.
