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Emmanuel Opio | Kapelebyong, (UG): For the past month, Kapelebyong District has been graced by the presence of important figures from the corridors of power in our country. Among them is Mr. Ofwono Opondo, the Executive Director of Uganda Media Centre and the spokesperson for the Government of Uganda.
During his stay in Kapelebyong, Opondo authored an article on the economic transformation of Northern Teso, published on Saturday, February 17, 2024, titled “NORTHERN TESO, A PROMISING NATIONAL FOOD BASKET.”
The article highlighted how Teso is beginning to gain momentum in supplying Kampala with cattle, goats, and sheep, just years after people returned to their homes from internally displaced persons camps (IDP camps).
According to district records, at least 7091 cattle and 1462 goats and sheep were sold in Kapelebyong from July 11 to Nov 28, 2023. This underscores Kapelebyong as an economic haven for North Teso.
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In the face of insecurity trauma stemming from recent agonizing cattle raids by hostile Karamojong warriors, the modest progress experienced by communities in Northern Teso Districts is attributed to the passionate, focused, and concerted efforts of local leaders in delivering services.
The author also raised concerns about the absence of top district officers from Amuria and Kapelebyong, including Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), District Chairpersons – LCVs, District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), and District Police Commanders (DPCs), from their duty stations in August 2023.
In the case of Kapelebyong, while he commends the economic analytics of the sub-region, he disagrees with claims of officers’ absenteeism in their duty stations.
His concern is not founded in reality but rather on imagined demoralizing tales. It’s crucial to acknowledge that these officers remain in their duty stations. Portraying them negatively is akin to falsely reporting a lion’s attack on a village.
The author also alleges that all top officers of Kapelebyong reside in Amuria (45km away) or Soroti (85km away) before labeling them as liars and lousy managers. These assertions are unfounded and tarnish the image of the hardworking staff in the district. It’s akin to harassing and insulting an innocent, hardworking father in front of his young children.
In fact, the officers endure residing and working in Kapelebyong under challenging conditions, including poor housing, limited social amenities, and significant understaffing levels (39%), among others. They share limited furniture and office space. Few districts in Teso, if any in Uganda, face such challenges.
Since its creation on July 1, 2018, by a statutory instrument of Parliament, Kapelebyong district has cultivated a patriotic human resource that voluntarily works long hours. With the same spirit, Kapelebyong, if well-invested in, with its natural endowment, could become a promising wealth reserve for Uganda.
Currently, Kapelebyong district is struggling to construct a council chamber due to inadequate transitional grants remitted by the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. The construction bill of quantity is shs4.7 billion, yet we received only shs300 million per annum in the last three years.
We urge the central government to consider the needs of new local governments in allocating transitional grants during the budgeting period to enable them to catch up with older local governments.
The efficiency of officers in Kapelebyong will significantly improve if the enormous challenges they face are urgently addressed. In a district without any Heads of Departments, officers need to be understood and encouraged based on reality to deliver effectively.
The Writer is a Communication Officer – Kapelebyong District.
Emmanuel Opio, Journalist
Tel: 0784129412 /0756629107
Facebook: Opio Sneijder Emmanuel
Twitter: @opioemmanuel_
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