Residents of Tororo County in Tororo district have resolved to organize a massive demonstration that will include blocking Malaba border post to protest government’s failure to grant the county a district status.
The strike that could paralyse the great north transport corridor is slated for Monday July 30.
The resolution was reached at during a stormy constituency meeting convened by the area Member of Parliament Geoffrey Ekanya on Sunday afternoon. The meeting was chaired by George Alfred Obore, the Malaba LC3 Chairperson who doubles as the county LC4 Chairperson at Mukujju county headquarters.
Obore, a staunch NRM cadre accused President Yoweri Museveni of deliberately playing on their intelligence in the pretext of consulting to deny them a district.
He said he has mobilized people to fully vote President Museveni and NRM in several elections, but he is disappointed that the President has decided to pay a deaf ear towards the demand of the people of Tororo County whom he said have threatened to quit the ruling party.
They resolved that the area MP Ekanya should on Tuesday this week present their views to the committee of Parliament currently handling the 25 newly proposed districts presented before parliament last week.
They further want the Iteso Cultural Leader Papa Emorimor Lemukol Osuban and his delegation to also meet the President over the matter before reporting back to them on Saturday for the next course of action.
The angry residents maintained their earlier stand that the new District called Tororo must be curved following the 1947 colonial boundaries that indicate that Tororo municipality lies in Tororo County.
They vowed never to allow the town to be taken to Budama County while Budama said they have never asked for any district so they cannot leave Tororo town.
Mzee Joseph Okapao, an elder with Iteso Cultural Union, said they are not prepared to change their earlier position on the matter adding that they will not accept to be bulldozed.
Okadapao claimed that with or without President Museveni in power, the people of Tororo County will one day attain their district.
John Emiriat, the LC3 Chairperson of Molo Sub County, dismissed earlier claims that Tororo County is being denied a district status because they voted for Ekanya an opposition candidate while referring to areas like Bugweri, Obongi and Ngora among others with strong opposition MPs.
Emiriat specifically blamed the President for siding with their counterparts the Jopadhola to deny the Iteso a district.
Tororo county has since 1998 been demanding for a district status claiming marginalization from their Jopadhola counterparts in social, economic and political aspects.
However, despite the eating of the rats by the residents before the President in March 2005 at Molo Sub County, the county has never been granted a district status.The rat-eating action which attracted media attention, was aimed at demonstrating people’s anger at various commissions of inquiry sent to investigate claims by residents that the whole Tororo County was inhabited by the Jopadhola.
Attempts by Ignatius Okongo Okiror, the former Chairperson of Tororo County councilor’s caucus to plead with the residents to go by the President’s earlier proposal to have three districts of Mukujju, Kisoko with Tororo town added up with Osukuru and Rubongi sub counties was vehemently rejected.
Ekanya accused the Tororo district Chairperson Emmanuel Osuna of playing double standards on the separation of Tororo district in to other districts.
Ekanya told residents that Osuna, a Jopadhola, during the 2011 campaigns knelt before the elders of Tororo County pleading for their support so that if he is re-elected to the district chair, he would support Itesot’s cause for a separate district.
Last year during presidential election campaigns, Museveni slotted in another proposal of giving Tororo County a district status without the Municipality which was also unanimously rejected attracting boos from the residents.
