UGANDA: ACHOLI MP’s GROUP CALLS FOR REAL DEVELOPEMENT, NOT EMPTY PROMISES

 

All the development slated for Acholi Sub Region has been hijacked by neighboring communities: Peace Stadium was taken to Homia, Gulu Airport transferred to Homia, and the Gulu Logistics Hub was about to be transferred to Mbarara. But Jaluo from Kenya put a stump instead of Mbarara, we are taking it to Kisumu. Moroto Road remains Joseph Kony’s agenda. 

GULU CITY- TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2026.

By Okumu Livingstone Langol (Uganda Correspondent)

The Omoro Woman MP Catherine Lamwaka urges Acholi leaders to unite and demand their share of the national cake, citing the region’s 83% support for President Museveni in the 2021 presidential election.

“The Chairperson APGs mooted during the meeting hosted in Gulu City, September 19-20, 2026, arguing that the time is now for unity among the leaders from Acholi Sub Region to stand together and demand from the Uganda government that we want national cake, as the region voted for President Museveni 83 per cent in the last presidential polls on January 15, 2021.”

Added, Northern Uganda is our home, Acholi land; we should mirror our objective as Acholi. By introducing the Acholi Anthem “Acholi wa do Acholi wa yee, Litino Acholi gi Too pi gi, the audience erupted in choruses to reecho ” Acholi wa do Acholi wa yee, Litno Acholi gi too pi gi.” Literally, Acholi are cream of lacuna

She questions how it is here, how it is in the Acholi Sub Region; the war is over, but we want economic transformation. Argues when she approaches that concept to organize this meeting, because we have 78% poverty, we have the highest mental health issues, we have the reason to lift this region, we have constitutional budget and oversight to set this region in motion, the Acholi APGs leader warned.

Here in this meeting, we have leaders from the APGs and district leaders. As Chairman of the APGs, the time is now to transform the region. How do we tap the opportunity to drive development in the region?

“I am assuring you what can be done for infrastructure, monitoring government programs, our strategy lies in unity and framework. We started this activity yesterday by visiting a government project which is going on, and the stalled Gulu Airport rehabilitation work is at zero per cent; we are demanding the government to begin the construction. We passed the budget even to construct the road Bobi Conor Aboke; construction of the road has not even started. How is UPCON 2027? Hon. Lamwaka Catherine observed.

Gulu Cancer Institute is okay, but the capacity is demanding; the cancer Institute is helping our people not to go to Mulago National Cancer Institute, where the facility is good. But if we are to realize it needs to be upgraded. Later when we moved to the Oding Industrial hub, Gulu University and Pece construction stadiums later, we visited Gulu Cancer Institute.

Coffee farmer in Nwoya District

Gen. Charles Otema Awany (RTD) asked the Acholi leaders present. How do we Acholi use the land God gave us to benefit us and help the community? I want all Acholi Sub Region; I want to tell them why my coffee farm did not dry up. I planted this year 2026 when a prolonged drought was not destroyed, calling on his farm Manager Geoffrey Odong aka Ojibu to introduce the coffee plantation, which covers thousands of areas.

Emeritus Acholi paramount chief castigated the impunity of war rages in Acholi Sub Region.

Rwot David Onen Acana II calls for rapid reconstruction of Acholi war rages, demanding that NUSAF 4, which is going to be launched soon it geographical areas were extended beyond Northern Uganda war-ravaged areas; the question is, logically, why the BUSAF 4 has been extended to cover Bugisu, Bukede and Busoga Eastern Regions, where the war has not been affected.

Verbatim

Emeritus Acholi Paramount Chief, Rwot Payira, David Onen Acana II, faulted what he calls political NUSAF 4 jurisdictions. War in Acholi lasted for over two decades and has destroyed infrastructure, civil rights, and cultural institutions. But you find that the war ravages areas that remain without rehabilitation; the NUSAF has been extended beyond areas where war has not been.

NUSAF funds of 1 trillion are a drop of money or water in the Ocean, hits hard. There are some people who have been given money to sell Acholi land. They got a lot of money; those who funded them now got land.”

The Karamoja affected Acholi from East Acholi in the areas of Kitgum, especially Orom and Agago District, where the animals are in the Displaced Animal Camps. replacing the (human) Acholi community who had been in the camps.

Land conflict is now rampant along our neighboring borders; those neighbors have extended their boundaries into Acholi land.

Youths in Acholi Sub Region are not working; elders have abandoned production, leaving farmland to the women, laro laro ngom land conflict. We are helping the community, not even helping our community in terms of education, not even giving scholarships to vulnerable homeless street kids.

Where is the future of Acholi in the next 20 years or 50 years? If we have a plan for the Acholi community, where is our stand as a nation? Where are we going to put our children? In whose hands do we have the body that stand for Acholi youths to protect them from or against the attack, the plan for the genocide which looming to destroy our people?

Where is the Acholi position on the endowed minerals in the Acholi Sub Region? Where is the Acholi strategic plan, we have Acholi in the diaspora; what is their voice and position on wealth? Do we have them in particular for the Acholi Agenda on Oil and Gas?

By the time we have a bad situation, to my understanding, the elite within the Acholi community who have a better vision for our people- where are they? Are they coming out to give directives to our community who are in dire need? Such people of eminent ability we don’t have among us.

People are running to the government of Uganda who should help us when we do things for our own sake. We have the people who are the in-government ministers in Acholi, Permanent Secretaries who are heads of government institutions, the Directors and the Commissioners. The Acholi opinion leaders and elected politicians, including the Local Government Chairman and the Members of Parliament.

Did our people know that those are the Acholi representatives’ body, the elected politicians, the MPs and Local District Chairmen? When we give them our votes, do they represent our views and send the people’s voices to the August House? Do the elected politicians stand together with us in matters that affect the region?

Do the elected MPs and the District Chairmen work together or share their views on the issues that affect Acholi Sub Region with the Religious leaders in Acholi Sub Region? Do they work hand in hand with the religious leaders?

How about the businessmen in Acholi Sub Region: do religious denominations and elected leaders have a working relationship with the businessmen, or the businessmen just go their own way? For example, why does our political head never try to get a market for the local commodities produced in Northern Uganda, the likes of Simsim, Ground nut and soybean, which are major products in the region?

Why have businessmen failed to import commodities from outside, goods from the Middle East and China, if really the Businessmen in Acholi Sub Region have been benefiting from the export and import. Why do the Acholi Sub Region remain at the tail of the development index? I hope we want to see new trends in affirmative action toward businessmen and elected political heads harmonizing their working relationship.

The Acholi cultural institutions: for you to make a tangible, drastic change, do our people know the value of cultural institutions? About the do’s and don’ts. Did our cultural norms help our people well? Or are we inheriting the Buganda cultural belief and adopting alien cultural beliefs?

What really shows or indicates the significance of the fact that we have the best arable land south of Sarah African. For the traditional cultural leaders to bring change in the community, our people must be able to know the significance of the Acholi traditions and norms.

The Acholi have over 3,000 scholars, according to a report published in the East African Newspaper in 2003, indicating that in the African region, the Acholi community have 3,000 PHD scholars, who have skills and knowledge in all the fields who are working both within the country and in the diaspora. Dr Ochan Otim specializes in genetic studies that can clone a human being. Is from the Bolo clan of Puranga, among others.

Are we tapping their expert rates, what does the Acholi community have that is different from other people that make it very important in Uganda or the rest of the world? Are you prepared to face the unknown calamities, deserter or what challenges the world is facing, or that we are soon facing?

We have International Aerogrammes University in Soroti City, eastern Uganda. How many students from the Acholi Sub Region are being trained in piloting? How many students hailing from the Acholi Sub Region are being trained in piloting? We, Dr. Julius Ocaka, the Managing Director of Soroti Fly University, are using him to benefit our region.

The Oil and Gas according to research done, indicated that 80 percent are in Acholi Sub Region. But the Oil and Gas is being pumped and drilled in Nwoya District from Acholi Sub Region and transported across the River Nile, and the government of Uganda says the Bunyoro Oil and Gas, giving credit to the neighboring chiefdoms. What do we get from the Oil and Gas, we have problems because those elected leaders are just working for themselves?

We have the biggest Graphite and the best in the world; soon, the British government, who are extracting it in Orom Sub County, Kitgum District, will soon make the industry in Angagura Sub County, Pader District. How many people in Acholi Sub Region have been trained to work in the industry?  

The Emeritus Rwot David Onen Acana II, Payira chief is being protected by his people who are in high government positions; all along, he has been protected by Gen. Otema Awany. And he disclosed that the Acholi people will see change; change is now taking place.

How about the rest of the Acholi people, how do they join him and Gen. Otema Awany to move together in the new wind of change that is taking place? So that Acholi should strengthen the Acholi District Local Government, as it happened now, let us see what is going to take place in our home; we shall see real change.

“You have spoiled the Acholi name in the past. Ma nying wa okwok atika atika because of simple petty issues; the Acholi has been divided along the chiefdoms. Bickering for job opportunities will never help us. Can’t we see from the religious leaders the differences among themselves; they fight, and the issues remain within the dockets.

The elected leaders from all sorts, you are working for the people; when you are called, come back. It is with great pain that the women MPs from Acholi Sub Region, after electing them, used the opportunity to abort their marriage. Is it a shame; they went for greener pastures? See what happened; those women MPs disgraced us all.

The Acholi male MPs, the vineyard corridor talk indicated that you come to Gulu City at night, you have many concubines’ ladies in town, and you are defiling minor girls’ children. You are moving in the night because you are checking your children born from different mothers.

When you are calling the minister’s name, you are not the only Minister, because you are children from the soil? All the Acholi, whether you are in a big position or a junior position. My appeal also to all the District Chairmen, Chief Administrative Officers: you are doing the same dirty things in the night. You have become night commuters.

On cattle restocking  

 

Emeritus Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II castigated the social evil of corruption syndrome being peddled by the Security personnel during cattle restocking programs. Gombola Security Organization (GISO), the Local Council I and the Local Council II have paid their relatives and friends, including the In-law.

We should put the Acholi at Heart, if we have the Acholi in our heart, no one will talk ill of his or her people. Those who work in the government, they don’t want to come back home. If we want to have one voice as the Acholi people, let the traditional cultural leader guide us.

“We all have a soft heart for life; for you, you see that you are okay. But from the other side, people see you are not okay; you are hopeless in eye of the right-thinking society. Ngwete ka tiyo tic ma pe meri. Don’t pretend, don’t measure your ability to say now I can also challenge the status quo, yet that is not your responsibility; carry your own cross”

Other people have bad language to diminish others; for us, the Acholi community, we support alien leadership culture; we eat alien foods. Even food items being sold in Gulu City Main Market comes from outside the Acholi Sub Region. All tomatoes, cabbages, the onions come from Kampala and Mbale; what do we have?

The Acholi community blames Acholi Ker Kwaro.

Emeritus Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II decried that the Acholi people blame them for past deeds. Rowt Acana II has also borne with his people; I might have wrong you. But how many people have come to advise me, where we have wrong you and we have failed, and I have failed to listen to you.

Instead, you are castigating me, and the all-Ker Kwaro Acholi, some of you did not even visit their chief who is bedridden in Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, nor have you contributed any money. But you are now saying hoo hoo Acana II yoo.

The message from the Acholi Prime Minister, Ker Kwaro Acholi, stop internal bickering among yourselves, because you come from political boundary divide and rule created by colonial power and Home-grown slave master Negri; hoo I came from Gulu, hoo I come from Kitgum; all those are stupid talk. Aliens look at us in the same vein.

How many times did you go to do community work at Acholi Ker Kwaro, the Acholi palace? Our life has become a lighting stock. How many times did you contribute to the well-being of Acholi Ker Kwaro?

When we lost Tooro King Oyo, all walks of life led to the Luo Babiito dynasty; did you see the Tooro royal palace?

Gulu University: where are the majority of students coming from, are they coming from the Acholi Sub Region? But now Gulu University is looking for the Director of Business; why are you saying the best candidate, who hailed from Payira, is related to Rwot David Onen Acana II, when he is the best, but you don’t want to give him the job?

When Gulu University Specialized Teaching University Hospital 524 bed is being hijacked by the then Minister of Health to Lira University, why did you all keep quiet?

Sources who asked not to be naked, say some time, he was in Germany, and then the health minister also flew to Germany. One of his friends dropped the Uganda Health Minister off to go and meet the Uganda Foreign Affairs Minister, who happened also to be there.

The issue of Gulu University came up; the Germany Government wanted to give $60 million for the construction of Gulu University Specialised 524 beds. But the Minister of Health made a deal to seal the deal.

Rwot Acana added his voice about the issues of Gulu Regional Referral Hospital; all the leaders from the Acholi Sub Region kept mum. From today on, as an Acholi, we should behave like the way the Acholi in the past were down to the road. Even you, Acholi, pick his hand; come up when things are bad.

Why do the Acholi people shun emeritus Rwot Acana II. Social and scientist bring you the homogeneity

By 2006, after the Juba Peace Talks, in 2007, when the Acholi community moved back to their ancestral home, immediately the migrants from Mid-West-Southern Uganda descended into heavy tree cutting that led to deforestation and environmental degradation. Rwot David Onen Acana II was in charge.

More than 1 million tons of charcoal were transported from Northern Uganda toward Central Uganda and beyond. Rwot David Onen Acana II, just gave greenlight to the forest degradation, leading to massive environmental catastrophe.

When the Balaalo cattle migrants descended into the Acholi Sub Region, Rwot David Onen Acana II, became silent. When Aswa Ranch, Acholi Ranch, was being divided among northern Uganda looters, Rwot David Onen Acana II joined the bandwagon; he was allotted 1 per cent of the Aswa Ranch.

When the Bunyoro Kitara Chiefdom signed an oil and gas deal in 2004, when Acholi Sub Region was at the peak of Northern Insurgency, Rowt David Onen Acana II was at the Realm of the Acholi Paramount Chief.

Rowt David Onen Acana dined at the high table, backed by Payira General Charles Otema Awany, Con. Walter Ochora (RTD). Pe gu niyang Rungula pa coo. The Rowt Acana and his new bread of the Acholi leadership were not in the know of the political intricate.

Whenever Rwot David Onen Acana II come out to make a political statement, it means water is going under the bridge. He did not account for the billions of donors funding which the Western World poured in the aftermath of the LRA war.

The Apaa mayhem in 2012, when Apaa women went into Adam suits, Rwot David Onen Acana II was in the driving seat with the Kampala regime; when the Karamoja cattle rustling was at it peak in East Acholi, Rwot David Onen Acana II was at best dining with the Kampala regime.

Thus, when Col. Walter Ochora was the Gulu District Chairman LC 5, when the Jonam across the River Nile matched and pushed the Acholi District boundary to Purongo Sub County Yago Pino, Col. Ochora led the Acholi community and pushed back the boundary to Pakwach Bridge.