Uganda: Army Assures Acholi Region of Security
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Justin Moro from Uganda New Vision reports that the Chief of Defence Forces,Gen. Aronda Nyakairima has commended the people of Northern Uganda, specifically Acholi, for cooperating with the army to uproot the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels from the region and restoring security. Nyakairima was in Lamogi on a visit coordinated by Betty Bigombe, Arcadia Foundation head and MP for the region.
He assured the Acholi that LRA leader Joseph Kony and his rebels will never come back to terrorise the people of the north.
Addressing the residents of Lamogi sub-county in Kilak county in Amuru district on Saturday, Nyakairima said: “I thank you the people of Acholi and the north for working with the army and the Government to remove Kony from the region. I want to assure you that Kony will never come back here.”
He advised everyone to work for development especially in areas of agriculture in order to increase food production and household income.
Nyakairima was in Lamogi to lobby for government and military assistance for the rehabilitation of a bridge on Olwal river. He promised that the bridge would be built in three phases.
“The first phase will be done by the UPDF and the defence ministry so that people can transport their crops or other items on bicycles and motorcycles to the market,” Nyakairima said.
“The second phase will be done by other government bodies to allow vehicles cross through to either Gulu town or to Pabbo and other distant places. The third phase will be to tarmac the road,” he added.
The area LC1 chairman, Marino Oola, earlier informed Aronda that the residents had for years been building temporary wooden bridges across the river but they are always washed away during rainy seasons.
During such rains, Oola said, access to Olwal Primary School and health services at the Olwal Health Centre II is impossible due to over flooding of the river.
He amused the crowd when he said: “I never thought the commander of the UPDF could reach this part of the country with few soldiers like this. We are very grateful for this move.”
Nyakairima was accompanied by Maj. Gen. Julius Oketa, Brig. Charles Otema and the UPDF engineer, Lt. Col.Richard Wakayinja.