The people and leaders of Teso have been asked to shelve divisionism, bickering and intrigue if their area is to fully benefit from NRM Government programmes.
The appeal was contained in President Yoweri Museveni in a message presented by the senior presidential advisor and personal assistant, Ms Milly Babirye Babalanda, during a training and reorientation of coordinators under the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) held in Soroti city.
“Government is committed to transforming Teso… Unfortunately, there is so much divisionism amongst the leaders of Teso. You have failed to work as one team,” Museveni said.
Even when government tried to deploy some of sons and daughters of Teso in key positions that would enable them to reach out to the people, Museveni said, they were fought them and their cause defeated.
“Nonetheless, I appeal to the sons and daughters of Teso who are in key leadership and administrative positions to ensure that the area shares in the national opportunities. The wars and bickering will not take us anywhere.
These divisions are what gave the opposition to gain ground and to control Teso in the first place,” the head-of-state in his capacity as NRM National Chairman said in his message to the coordinators who will go down and disseminate the message to the masses in the sub region.
Museveni asked the people that now that the NRM parliamentary primaries are over they should use the chance to rally behind the winners to forge unity and to showcase achievements to the people.
Among the achievements that he pointed out are the establishment of Soroti University to contribute to higher education particularly the science and engineering courses and eliminating unnecessary movements to the central region for similar pursuit; a large fruit processing plant to promote agriculture in Teso and to provide employment to the people and city status for Soroti which he said would attract many more investors to exploit potential in all sectors.
“All the above will require the support of all the people in the area.”
Museveni thanked the people of Teso for supporting the NRM government and for pacifying their area by spearheading a community struggle against rebel infiltration using the arrow boys.
After the training, the coordinators will comb the ground mobilising for Museveni who is seeking reelection as the NRM flagbearer in next year’s presidential elections.
