Bunyoro Local Oil Advocacy Group-BLOAG, a regional pressure group has vowed to continue mobilizing people in Bunyoro to air out their views regarding oil exploration despite a warning by President Yoweri Museveni against the Oil talk. It comes two days after Museveni asked leaders in Bunyoro to restrain from the oil talk until government puts in place laws governing the sector.
In speech read for him by his wife Janet Museveni, during the 18 Coronation anniversary of the Omukama of Bunyoro Solomon Iguru, Museveni said it was premature to talk about oil when government is in the process of formulating laws for its better governance. The president asked the banyoro to rather focus on agricultural production to elevate their household incomes.
But Ausi Balyesiima, the secretary BLOAG says that unless government comes out to address concerns raised by people around the oil exploration sites his pressure group will not keep quiet. He says people continue to lose their land and other property to oil exploration and no just compensation is given to them. Balyesiima says people need to be mobilized to raise such concerns which government must address.
//Cue in “All countries that……….”
Cue out “…………other areas”//
Locals in Hoima also appear unmoved by the president’s statement. Jacqueline Talemwa, a student of Kyambogo University hailing from Hoima says there are also questions about employing residents in the oil sector which needs advocacy. Talemwa claims that despite the fact that there many Banyoro with the required skills, few are employed in the oil sector, adding that these are issues that the king, his subjects and other civil society organizations should bring out.
Talemwa says telling the Banyoro to stop talking about oil is like muzzling them never to air out any such concerns yet they continue to linger in the minds of the locals.
//Cue in “we are …………..”
Cue out “………discovered recently”//
Two weeks ago, the Omukama stormed parliament to forward his kingdom’s oil demand among them the 12.5 oil revenue share and security for his subjects amidst oil exploration. The Omukama also maintained the demands in his 18th coronation anniversary speech on Monday.
Uganda Radio Network could not readily get a comment from any of the kingdom officials about the president’s statement as they are still held up in the Empango celebrations which culturally last nine days.
