Reports leo odera Omolo In Kampala City
Museveni displaying a pair of locally made shoes given to him by residents of Apac during a tour of the district on Tuesday.
By Vision reporters
KOLE County MP John Ogwang, a veteran member of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), has vowed to support President Yoweri Museveni in the 2011 elections.
He also pledged to work closely with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in implementing programmes in his constituency.
“There is only man who can manage Uganda and that is Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Museveni promised peace and now peace has come. We shall give him all the votes because he is more capable than all the others,” said Ogwang during Museveni’s visit to the Apac on Tuesday.
“All the others should just go home. Come 2011 and 2016, we shall give him our vote,” he said, putting on the yellow cap given to him by the NRM district chairman.
Ogwang explained he was joining hands with the NRM in the spirit of developing Kole district.
“I didn’t cross to the NRM as is being alleged. I would not do that. If you are given something to eat, you don’t walk away. What I am doing is in the interest of the people of Kole, for the good of the country,” he said.
The President, who is on a four-day tour of Lango region to promote his Prosperity-for-All programme, said the Government will grant Kole county a district status since there are indications of the NRM taking over its leadership. At the same function, he received 1,400 former members of opposition parties.
He accused opposition politicians of sabotaging government programmes such as NAADS and NUSAF.
“The Movement people can also be corrupt but the opposition group has been more corrupt than even the NRM,” Museveni said.
He noted that funds for development are squandered by district officials, with some of the money given to relatives, resulting in poor implementation of the programmes.
He said he is considering starting a programme of distributing ploughs, oxen and heifers to womens’ groups in each parish in Lango to boost commercial agricultural production.
At a separate rally held earlier at Aduku Primary School, the President said the Government is intensifying the restocking exercise in the region to enable it regain its animal population, most of which was lost due to cattle rustling by Karimojong.
He rubbished claims that the animals in Lango were rustled by the NRM government.
“Come to my farm. If you find zebu cows, take all of them. Lango animals were rustled by the Karimojong.”
He informed the locals that the road from Masindi port to Apac, Lira and Kitgum is due to be tarmacked as the Government steps up efforts to improve infrastructure to boost economic production and increase trade.
“This has taken time because before there was no money and we were depending on donors. But donors are not reliable; they promise but don’t implement. Now the Government has got its own money and will do all the roads,” he said.
The President also revealed that Apac district received over sh3b under NAADS in the last three years and that the Government injects sh31b to run various activities within the district each year.
The President earlier visited one of the model farmers, Christopher Obach, in Aduku sub-county who earns over sh40m annually from rearing goats, cattle, pigs and keeping bees.
Apac district authorities gave Museveni a spear, shield and a table designed in the form of a map of Africa. They urged the President to use the weapons to fight poverty.
Ends