Teso Affairs: In the Teso Sub-Region they are eating termites to survive the famine!

“Residents of the hunger stricken areas in Teso region are now forced to eat termites due the current hunger crisis caused by last year and this year’s prolonged drought. Florence Kulume a mother of nine and a resident of Atira sub county in Serere district goes early morning to look for grass, sort it straight before washing it with roots of a certain tree locally known as “Ekoboi” in Ateso which is sour and loved by termites” (Kampala Dispatch – ‘Starving families in Teso resort to eating termites, Karimojong flee to Kenya’ 13.06.2022).

The Teso Sub-Region is hit with food insecurity yet again. It seems like the Teso Affairs and the state haven’t followed previous recommendations or any sort of thing. As the problems of past is revisiting the area. An area where the state has invested in a fruit factory, the Soroti Fruit Factory, but not secured the farmers or the agricultural sector as a whole. Since, within a few years time and a new drought settles in. The same issue of hunger and starvations sets in.

I have to use the sentiment of a farmer from the last time in 2017. Because the situation hasn’t changed but its more of the same.

Still, a local farmer wrote a piece to the Chimp Reports that has some valuable assessments:

“The current hunger in Teso has largely been attributed to drought, while this assertion may hold some truths; there is increasingly evidence that the Ministry of Teso Affairs has not done its part. Hunger in Teso is as a result of both internal and external factors. For many years, the region has been experiencing declining productivity and this was recently worsened by drought. For districts like Ngora, Bukedia and Kumi, land fragmentation has heavily affected productivity” (…) “Clearly besides drought, Teso food systems are in a crisis and our expectation was that the Ministry of Teso affairs working with other stakeholders would work to address this problem. Our view is that hunger should be among the ‘affairs’ that Ministry of Teso Affairs should be engaged in. Agriculture remains a major livelihood for our people in Teso and therefore we require urgent response from Ministry of Teso Affairs on its plans to help our people get out of the current hunger crisis” (Akorikin, 2017).

Minister of State for Teso Affairs, Hon. Christine Aporu Amongin has to accept her faults and lack of good governance. The state haven’t done their due diligence or tried to mitigate it. That’s why it’s happening again after 5 years. We know the state will come with excuses. Last time around another minister blamed the suffering communities for selling their crops and whatnot to get money to stay alive. Therefore, we shouldn’t expect much from the state or the ministries in question.

The Office of the Prime Minister and the Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness should together with the Teso Affairs make some mechanisms and help people out. Not only with the direct aid and need food right now. That what they should do and in such a manner that people can eat nutritious food.

Now that it has happen for the second time in 5 years. The state needs to do more than short-term relief. There is a need for more food security mechanisms that actually can help the farmers and the hit communities in the Teso sub-region. Peace.

Reference:

Akorikin, Francis – ‘OPINION: Government Should Review the Relevance of Ministry of Teso Affairs’ (05.05.2017) link: https://www.chimpreports.com/opinion-government-should-review-the-relevance-of-ministry-of-teso-affairs/

How the new counties will change for the constituencies before the Presidential General Election 2016 in Uganda – and which MPs it affects.

Recently there been reports that yet again the government of Uganda has decided to split a certain numbers of counties into 39 new counties and in the end make the total amount of Member of Parliament (MPs) to 424 (Kisakye, 2015). This can only been seen as a calculated plan to gain more MPs by the government party to reign over this new counties. I will go through who will have to fight for new constituency and votes in newly created counties that the government wishes. This will be after the list that was on the Observer. I will take district after district. An over time I think you’ll see a pattern.

Agago County MPs:

Who?	Party:
John Amos Okot	NRM
Judith Franca Akello	FDC

Amuria County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Francis Musa Ecweru	NRM

Manjiya County MPs:

Who?	Party:
David Wakikona	NRM

Bukedea County MPs:

Who?	Party:
George Stephen Ekuma	NRM
Rose Akol Okullu	NRM

Bukomansimbi County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Deogratius (Deo) Kiyingi	DP
Susan Namaganda	DP

Bulambuli County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Irene Nafuna Muloni	NRM
Midimi Wamakuyu	NRM

Dokolo County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Felix Okot Ogong	NRM
Cecilla Barbera Atim Ogwal	FDC

Gomba County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Rosemary Muyinda Najjemba	NRM
Kyabangi Katusiime Nakato	NRM

Kilak County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Gilbert Olanya	Independent
Betty Bigombe Atuku	NRM

Dodoth East – Kaabong County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Samson Lokeris	NRM

Bulamogi County – Kaliro District MPs:

Who?	Party:
Kenneth Lubago	Independent
Flavia Nabugere	NRM

Kibuku County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Moses Saleh Wilson Kamba	NRM
Sarah Mwebaza Wanene	NRM

Nyabushozi County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Fred Mwesigye	NRM
Beatrice Rusaniya Namala Barumba	NRM

Kibanda County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Sam Owor Amooti Otada	Independent
Helen Kahunde	NRM

Chua County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Henry Okello Oryem	NRM
Beatrice Anywar Atim	FDC

Kole County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Fred Ebil	UPC
Joy Ruth Acheng	UPC

Kumi County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Patrick Oboi Amuriat	FDC
Christine Hellen Amongin Aporu	NRM

Kiboga West County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Samuel Ssemugaba	NRM
Ann Maria Nankabirwa	NRM

Kyaka County MPs:

Who?	Party:
William Ngabu Kwemara	NRM
Flavia Kabahenda Rwabuhoro	NRM

Mwenge North County MPs:

Who?	Party:
David Muhumuza	NRM

Luuka County MPs:

Who?	Party:
John B.  Ngobi Bagoole	Independent
Evelyn Naome Mpagni N. Kaabule	NRM

Maracha County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Alex Onzima	Independent
Ruth Molly  Ondoru Lematia	NRM

Kashari County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Yaguma Wilberforce	NRM

Ruhinda County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Kahinda Otafiire	NRM
Jovah Kamateeka	NRM

Matheniko County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Dr. John Baptist Lokii	NRM

Aruu County MPs:

Who?	Party:
CD Oketayot Lowila	NRM
Samuel Otto Odonga	FDC

Kooki County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Amos Mandera	NRM

Mawogola County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Sam Kahamba Kutesa	NRM
Anifa Kawooya Bangirana	NRM

Soroti County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Michael George Mukula	NRM
Peter Omolo	FDC
Angelline Osegge	FDC

Okoro County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Stanley Oribdhogu Omwonya	NRM

Butebo County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Stephen Oscar Malinga	NRM

Tororo County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Geofrey Ekanya	FDC

Kibaale County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Frank Kagyigyi Tumwebaze	NRM

Aringa County MPs: (Will be three more districts)

Who?	Party:
Achile Manoah Mile	UPC
Abason Huda Oleru	NRM

Bugahya County MPs:

Who?	Party:
James Kiiza Rwebembera	NRM

Koboko County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Ahmed Awongo	NRM
Margreth Diri Bara	NRM

Kassanda County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Godfrey Lubega	Independent
Thembo George William Nyombi	NRM

East Moyo County MPs:

Who?	Party:
Moses Ali	NRM
Jesica Ababiku	Independent

In numbers of the MPs that is on the line and getting new districts to get votes for re-elections in the 2016 elections. This here will be decisive for them. AS you can see that even some district has big birds and people who have been in the wind for a long time like Otafiire from Ruhinda County. But now let me show the numbers:

Party:	Total MPs:	Percentage:
NRM (National Resistance Movement)	45	69%
FDC (Forum for Democratic Change)	8	12%
DP (Democratic Party)	2	3%
UPC (Uganda People’s Congress)	3	4.6%
Independent	7	10.7%
Total Sum of MPS:	65	100%

This should be call on how the NRM wish to split the votes in certain areas so that they can eat more of the votes in next election. That they can take more of the independent votes and also from the opposition parties like FDC.

Let me show the areas that are being split not just name of main counties. Since Uganda has been split to smaller and smaller fractions and now is hard to remember where the “original” bigger counties where before they got into the humongous number of 424. So let see here:

Part of the Country	Total Couties:
Buganda	VI – 6
Ankole	IIII – 4
Kigezi	0 – 0
Toro	II – 2
Bunyoro	II – 2
Acholi	VI – 6
West Nile	IIII – 4
Lango	II – 2
Karamoja	I – 1
Teso	III – 3
Sebei	0 – 0
Bugisha	0 – 0
Bukedi	II – 2
Busoga	V – 5
Total Counties:	37

(Aringa County will become three counties – North/South and Yumbe)

Numbers game:

If you can quickly see it’s the central regions that have a certain level of changes like in the Ankole, Busoga, Bunyoro and Buganda. The number of counties which is changing in the central/eastern is 17 of 39. Other areas that are also getting a renovation from the government are the Acholi, West Nile and Karamoja which is the Northern parts of Uganda. The total of areas that will be changed is 13 of 39.  Those total 30 of the 39. So it’s easily to see where the main changes are happening. Sometimes in the heartland of the opposition parties than in the Movement territory, so if you think otherwise. Look at the numbers and see even if this is going after 69% of the MPs are NRM. We all know that around Mbale and up north has voted for DP more than NRM in history. FDC is also gaining more grown in eastern, central and western areas. Therefore NRM fearing this, FDC candidate even won in Amuru by-election in November 2014. So that the Government is making a change in the districts around isn’t surprising. But let’s look at the other part of this changes that I haven’t touched on yet. Not the number game, but the real election game.

Election game:

This strategy is amazing. The way you split counties to reassure and get more loyalty from the new LDC then before. Therefore doing this so close to the election makes the 40 new counties and 40 new MPs. Also open up new constituency and voter’s numbers that need to be secure to get the MP for a county in. Thirdly and last point is that the history of voting in an area get diminish because the new counties. This will lead to smaller counties and need less people to vote the MP in the area. That can be either a gift or a curse. That the counties are getting to be smaller populations so that their easier to manipulate since their no current voting history in this counties. So that the loyalist will get more positions during next elections and also getting new LDCs that will supposedly to give the local community more control and also support the governments work in the areas. Like getting supervision over the primary school and police I guess. But we all know that this is more securing the NRM government more control over the areas and getting the loyal supporters of the Mzee becoming MPs and also making new counties to disfranchise the opposition if possible. That this  areas are also in places where the Independent MPs are coming from and just a few big shots like Kahinda Otafiire. I look forward to see the results from the Presidential General Election of 2016. Hope you do as well in the new counties and see if the MPs from the 9^th Parliament will arrive from the new counties.

Just a by the way – on the information flow:

The irony of it all, I couldn’t find the MPs on the Parliaments own site or government official sites online. I found the best by the sites that are targeted by the government. Like the lists from Uganda at Heart had an awesome and amazing list. Second list was from an anti-corruption NGO from Uganda. So the one that isn’t supposed to be friendly with the government is the one that has organized it the best and that is a rare instance. Because a brother expect to easily see who represent them. Taxation with representation, the parliament page of the Ugandan government isn’t sufficient or a page that is really working. Hope that Hostalite and make them a better page indeed. And the Parliament Watch site was ten times better. Where I could double check the result of the General Election of 2011 was from the elected MPs from the Electoral Commission of Uganda. I am grateful that one supposed to be unbiased governmental institution has certain information to the public so I could verify what I found at Uganda at Heart and also the information from Parliamentary Watch. Thanks! Peace.

Reference:

Kisakye, Frank – ‘Govt creates 39 new counties, number of MPs rises to 424’ (15.07.2015) Link: http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/38782-govt-creates-39-new-counties-mps-rise-to-424