Museveni lauds Karamoja for ensuring cross border security as Babalanda’s ONC team wraps up Eastern tour

The Office of the NRM National Chairman (ONC) has held a week long expedition through the five sub regions that make up Eastern Uganda, with the task coming to a hugely triumphant conclusion on September 10, in Moroto-Karamoja.

The first tour in the region took place in Busoga’s Iganga where President Museveni, in a message read by his Personal Assistant Milly Babalanda, hailed them for their historical support to the democratic principals of the NRM and amplified his commitment to develop the area.

The group would head for Mbale the following day where coordinators from both Bugisu and Bukedi sub regions were commissioned to spearhead the president’s 2021 re-election bid before heading to Sebei the following day for a similar task on September 08.

During the Kapchorwa meeting in Sebei, the three districts of Bukwo, Kwen and Kapchorwa were represented. Museveni conveyed his appreciation to the sub region for their unwavering support to the ruling establishment. He also hailed their security consciousness that made it easy to defeat the Save Uganda force rebel outfit between 2012 and 2017.

September 09, saw Teso sub region host the visitors from the Party Chairman’s Office in a hugely attended meeting of co-ordinators from Soroti, Kaberamaido, Kumi, Katakwi, Amuria, Serere among others.

An angry Museveni castigated Teso leaders over internal bickering which he says has created gaps for opposition to infiltrate in the area. He further sounded frustrated that even when he has in the past tried to elevate members of the region to positions of influence in his government, they have been vigorously fought and had their agendas defeated.

He therefore called for an immediate resolution of such squabbles which he says they could affect the Party’s performance in the sub region come next year.

September 10, marked the end of the tour of the East with Moroto serving host, with State Minister for Karamoja Moses Kizige describing the task handed to the newly commissioned coordinators a privilege that should make them with pride.

He equally advised them not to worry about having to work voluntarily adding that he had himself started as a volunteer at the formation of the NRM Secretariat before he was appointed Minister.

Here Museveni, in a message he had sent with his Personal Assistant Milly Babalanda thanked the Karamajongs for their overwhelming support for the NRM party which saw him gather a whooping 87.6% of the national tally in 2016.

He also hailed the sub region for their role in fighting inter-border criminal activities and also supporting regime efforts to pacify the sub region to fighting cattle wrestling, which Minister Kizige said had turned from pride raids to personal enrichment, as animals were raided for external markets in Kampala and Juba.

“You have ensured that no criminals cross into Uganda to cause instability. You have also supported government programs to pacify and develop Karamoja including collaborating with investors to promote big time extractive industries making items such as ceramics, precious jewels and raw materials for cement production.” Museveni said in a message presented by the Senior Presidential Advisor and Personal Assistant, Ms. Milly Babirye Babalanda during a training and orientation of coordinators under the Office of the National Chairman (ONC).

Museveni said the industries are providing jobs to children of the area who have gone on to cause transformation hence ending Karamoja’s culture of shame that had described the Subregion for ages.

The President reaffirmed government’s commitment to develop the sub region by attracting more investors inorder to create jobs for the people of the region.

At each of the training sessions, Chief facilitator Milly Babalanda took the coordinators through what is expected of them under their new roles. She also demanded that they would be tasked with mobilizing for President Museveni, marketing his candidature and protecting his votes on the polling date.

Museveni tasked the audiences at each of the sessions to shun divisive politics which breeds camps that could affect the overall performance of the party heading into an important elections period. He thus called for an end to internal frictions, further advising that those with personal differences should sort them now through dialogue.

The exercise which initially kicked off early this year was halted due to the Covid19 pandemic before it was reignited late last month.

After a largely successive adventure in the East of the country, the group is expected to continue to other regions, something that will give the party a clear age over the other contenders according to Mr Joseph Sewava, the Senior Media and Communications Assistant in the Office of the NRM National Chairman.