UGANDA: HILARY ONEK DISASTER AND PREPAREDNESS MINISTER DISTANCE HIMSELF, NOT BEING BEHIND LAMWO DISTRICT SUGAR WORKS

The minister for Disaster Onek and Lamwo RDC Kidega Nok both of them say order was the Minister for Presidency

Hilary Onek Obaloker the MP for Lamwo County and Nabision James Kidega Nok, Lamwo Residence District Commissioner were forced to re-transport 400 peoples brought from Kamuli dumped at Ngomoro Primary School in Lamwo district purported for plating sugar Cane.

LAMWO-UGANDA:  The Chairperson for the 8 districts in Acholi Sub Region under the Kitgum District Chairman Omona Jackson, Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, John Ogwok, Lamwo District Chairman and Jomeo Richard P’ Mao a whistle blower and Lamwo community mounted pressure on Hilary Onek and Kidega Nok to re-transport the 400 people which was taken to Lamwo District back yesterday April 8, 2020.

Jomeo P’Mao says off course community vigilan, journalism vigilan has given Lamwo District power through their Chairman John Ogwok to put pressure on Hilary Onek and Kidega Nok, following Presidential Directive on lock down and the quarantine on people movement.

“We are trying to enforced Presidential Directive how can 400 people from Kamuli be sneaked from Eastern Uganda to Lawmo, it was Presidential Directive and lastly with the example of Ebola pandemic outbreak in 2000 in Gulu particularly when UPDF the said people were brought from DR Congo they were infected with Ebola, and people got Ebola, we could not allow such incident to reoccurred again.” Jomeo reiterates.

Adds on how can 8 buses transport 400 from Kamuli,we give our people right information, we clarified to the Lamwo community the danger of having foreigners in the district, and our initiative works against evil planned.

Jomeo argues that community also supported them, and the District Chairman Ogwok was with us. it was wrong to brought 400 people to Lamwo district no science in digging hole, do you think our people from Acholi Sub Region cannot do that, we are not against Sugar plantation.

“This is what I think informed the community and establishment.” Jomeo urged.

The Acholi Parliamentary Groups also made a follow up, and put pressure on the Minister Onek when Jaocb Ounalyah was informed and contacted the president Museveni who later re-directed that 400 people must be taken back.

We are still appealing to the community to be vigilant, stand up to be counted and look up for their community.

He argues that this calls political leaders both in opposition and ruling power because COVID-19 will not spare any of us, Jomeo warned.

more says this is calls to worry as Kaka Acholi, that is why Lamwo District paid the stopped forth transportation, but now planned t get another 200 people to plant sugar cane from within Acholi Sub Region, Jomeo reveals.

But, how the 200 people will be sources against COVID-19 the districts should be respected, the districts should take lead. the health condition of those people should be considered against COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS we want our people to remains healthy. Sources from Lamwo community whatsapp group mooted to Oyeng Yeng News that Hilary Onek tried to engage the Lamwo whatsapp groups, but he was criticize and he has to abundance Lamwo whatsapp groups.

Jomeo further says when we first broke the news through WhatsApp groups and platforms, the silence from the very leaders from Lamwo except from the district chairman who stood tall.

The RDC played his part by obeying the military appointing authority and in the military principle, you execute orders without question. I am glad, the alternative voices and community vigilance prevailed- but with NRM government, you have to relate with them bearing in mind that back up plan has to be secured similar to UMEME with smart phones, you have to secure power bank to be safe.

We are continuing to monitor the developments, vigilance of the community from all the routes entering Lamwo from Gulu in Palaro, Lamwo from Lokung and Boarder South Sudan, and from South Sudan to Odilo where the land is.

Through our leaders at Acoli Parliamentary Group, we are demanding minister of the presidency to pronounce itself on the matter before the community take up the responsibility in enforcing the precautionary measures with local skills with any suspected vehicle entering To Lamwo through Kitgum.

“Let’s all stand up to be counted in this period of uncertainty”

Norbert Mao Presidential General for Demoncratic Party one of the leading opposition in Uganda  says it i his duty to inform you that it is the prevailing sentiment among most of the political leaders in Acholiland that the transportation of the 400 workers from Kamuli to Lamwo is unjustified, ill timed and unacceptable.

adds on that It has been presented as a military operation by the Lamwo RDC and thus not subject to questioning. Nevertheless he wish to state that this exceptionalism is raising many questions especially given the Covid-19 lockdown. With the current lockdown this movement should be halted to avoid protests from leaders and the general population. Leaders from Lamwo will likely insist that the workers be sent back to Kamuli until Uganda is declared Corona free! In this they will have his support on principle.

“No amount of assurance will assuage the agitation of a population that feels that a large number of people have been brought amidst them and will be mixing freely with them and potentially carrying the risk of infecting them with coronavirus! This fear will be infectious given that the workers will not have undergone the necessary precautions that give them an “all clear”. I’m sure the MoH would agree that this movement of persons, which equals about six bus loads or a full Boeing 747, is risky and a gross violation of government policy and directives on preventing coronavirus. I don’t think this is a risk worth taking. Let the matter be discussed in a consultative manner after the lockdown.

I’m a vision bearer, strong supporter and key promoter of the Atiak Sugar project initiated by Horyal with government support (and whose plantations are in Lamwo) but I cannot support this movement of persons from hundreds of kilometers away to Lamwo. Preventing coronavirus is paramount. Everything else can wait. Schools have been closed, the sick are suffering behind closed doors, dead bodies remain unburied. Surely the issue of movement of workers can wait for the lockdown to be eased. The Luo say “Wor acel pe kwoko dek” (One night cannot make food go bad).”