By Tolit Ivan & Agency
Religious and cultural leaders from the Acholi sub-region have endorsed a cooperation deal between opposition legislators and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party aimed at the sub-region’s socio-economic transformation. This comes amidst growing criticism from some political figures, cultural leaders, and civil society actors who question the exact intent of the cooperation agreement.
Ten opposition legislators from the Sub-region, two of whom have since crossed to the NRM party, met with President Yoweri Museveni on March 13, affirming their commitment to work with the government in ensuring the Acholi Sub-region develops.
Sheikh Musa Khalil, the Northern Regional Assistant to the Mufti and vice chairperson of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI), said Thursday that the cooperation agreement was long overdue and anticipates that it will help address the sub-region’s long-standing challenges.
He highlighted that the legislators in their reflection and demands to the government seek to address a wide range of problems, among them the long-standing cattle compensation woes, Aswa ranch ownership, and the Balaalo questions.
Sheikh Khalil, who was speaking on behalf of religious leaders from the sub-region during a consultative meeting convened by the legislators, encouraged the people in the Acholi Sub-region to embrace the legislators’ ideas.
He noted that as religious leaders, they scrutinized the concept note on Operation Harmony, a document authored by the legislators highlighting the framework for the socio-economic infrastructure transformation of the Acholi Sub-region, and found it significant.
The consultative meeting, convened by the opposition legislators was attended by religious, cultural, and political leaders and elders from the Acholi sub region in which they sought to seek their opinions about their deal with the government.
Archbishop Emeritus John Baptist Odama however clarified that they were in no support of any political party but rather instead siding with everyone who is speaking and acting to promote Acholi.
At the second consultative meeting, the legislators unveiled a draft concept note dubbed “Operation Harmony”, a document that encapsulate the priority needs of the Acholi people that is expected to be presented to President Museveni next month.
The Acholi Paramount Chief David One Acana II, in a message delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Acholi Cultural Institution Martin Okumu equally endorsed the move saying there isn’t anything wrong with the legislators agreeing to work with the government.
Rwot Acana rallied his subjects in the sub-region to embrace working closely with the government and also embrace the legislator’s idea that are aimed at opening development opportunities.
While the majority of the stakeholders approved the concept note, critics including some cultural, political and civil society actors have called for more time to study their concept note and raised questioned on the MPs exact motives.
Michael Lakony, the Amuru District Chairperson noted that as a local government leader, he cannot endorse the concept note generated by the legislators arguing that they need to consult and give their feed back later. Lakony also highlighted that the title of the concept note dubbed “Operation Harmony” doesn’t depict an Acholi idea and urged the secretariat of the Acholi opposition bloc to make changes before it can be owned by the Acholi people.
Richard Luganya Bongowat, the Speaker of Omoro District Council noted that while pertinent issues concerning land conflicts in Apaa and Aswa ranch have been a topic of debate in the past years, the concept note doesn’t highlight them nor suggest ways of resolving them.
He also wondered how some of the legislators will champion matters of land conflicts alleging that some of the legislators are behind attempts to sell off chunks of lands inside Aswa Ranch.
Early this week, Kilak South Member of Parliament Gilbert Olanya revealed that the cooperation agreement was an idea of the government given to the opposition legislator to seek their perspectives about the sub-region. His revelation distances the Acholi Opposition legislators from claims of initiating the operation harmony concept note before reaching out for a dialogue with the government on matters affecting the Acholi subregion.
