Mixed reactions as security orders Zombo youth to call off protest over bad roads

BY ALEX PITHUA

Top security officials in Zombo district have summoned the organizers of an alleged protest over the appalling state of roads threatening the youth to call off the strike.

The protest is supposed to take place on Wednesday 25 Oct 2023 in Zombo district according to a copy of a letter this publication saw. This letter has also been circulated on various social media.

The letter was signed by Chairman Sam Rwothumio and Secretary Robert Jakisa and addressed to the Zombo resident district commissioner Rt. Lt. Col. Pius Alitema and copied to DPC Zombo Nelson Nahabwe, DISO Patrick among others.

Themed; “Zombo roads matter, it’s time for action not words” the angry community of Zombo here have cast themselves, always for voting the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Museveni for over three decades and paying them with poor services like roads and health facilities.

On Thursday 19th Oct, this publication learnt that five among the youth leaders were summoned to appear before the top security committee on Friday 20th Oct 2023.

Indeed, on Friday 20th Oct the youth were accompanied by Francis Bolingo the only vocal opposition in Zombo district and a staunch member of Alliance for National Transformation, a political party of retired Gen. Mugisha Muntu met the security officials.

According to Bolingo in the indoor meeting which was held at the Cultural Centre in Paidha, DPC Nelson Nahabwe told them to abstain from mobilizing the public for this demonstration and call it off or they should write to the Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola.

“We told the security officials that we have printed T-shirts and other items at a cost of shs.20m and we cannot call off the protest,” Bolingo explained in an exclusive interview with our journalist on Friday evening.

Bolingo kept his word and on Saturday on a local radio station, he assured the RDC Alitema and LC V James Uyullu Uruna nothing would stop their efforts and rallied the masses to turn in large numbers to show their grievances to the government.

The major road in the contest is the 119 km Nebbi-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr-Vurra road which according to the people of Zombo district has been ignored deliberately by the government.

Recently, the district councillor for Warr town council/Warr Sub-county Gloria Mungungeyu joined the opposition bench accusing the colleagues on NRM tickets as a bunch of useless members who could not articulate issues that affect the common persons.

“I want to be free to speak for the community I am serving because being on the NRM side is barring me from representing people well.” Told journalists from the Zombo Press Association (ZOPA) in an interview.

The Zombo district speaker confirmed her move adding Mungungeyu had written to him and urged other members on the independent ticket to do so according to the law.

“I urged others to emulate this because it’s within the law that Mungungeyu has decided to sit on my left-hand side.” Ringtho

Over the weekend, talks in communities and corridors have continued to emerge and the people of Nebbi district also are in support of the people of the Zombo district.

According to this youth, the NRM politicians in the district are frustrating their efforts and calling them as indiscipline youth breeding ground for opposition.

But the LC V Uyullu is against this arrangement and has been engaged in a brawl with these youth leaders and denied that he is not aware of any arrangement of that kind. His voice was recorded as he was engaging in a heated telephone conversation with one of the mobilizers.

Last year during the 12th coronation anniversary of the King of Alur Philip Rauni Olarker III MP for Ora country Laurence Songa Biyika asked President Museveni to break the news for tarmacking the Nebbi-Goli-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr-Vura road but the president answered that they are still working on other roads in West Nile region.

President added that this road should be worked on with first-class marram for its motorability.

Last year also during the inspection of this road, Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) executive director Allan Kajina mentioned that they have allocated funds to construct the major bridges of Adoka, Omol, Ora and Nyagak and thereafter they will embark on tarmacking it however there no contractors on the major sites.