President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged to resolve the long standing challenges facing the Acholi sub-region, including delayed compensation, livestock restocking, and human-wildlife conflict, as he intensified his campaign in Nwoya District on Tuesday.
Speaking to a large crowd at Anaka Town Council, Museveni said the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government remains committed to improving the welfare of communities that endured decades of insurgency and displacement.
“When I first came to Anaka years ago, people were still in IDP camps, afraid to return home. I told them, ‘Go back and rebuild,’ and I later found them thriving in Bweyale. That transformation shows how peace has changed lives,” Museveni said, emphasizing that peace remains the foundation of all development.
Compensation and Wildlife Conflict
The President revealed that the government had already paid UGX 11 billion to residents displaced by the Karuma Hydropower Project, while UGX 48 billion remains pending. He promised to instruct the Prime Minister to expedite the remaining compensation and ensure that all affected families are fully settled.
Museveni also addressed the destruction of crops by elephants, which continues to threaten farmers in Nwoya and neighboring districts. He assured residents that the government would strengthen measures to protect communities and compensate farmers whose fields were destroyed.
“I will instruct the Prime Minister to follow up on compensation for all people whose crops were destroyed by elephants,” he said, drawing applause from the crowd.
Defending Free Education
The President reiterated his strong stance on free education, warning school administrators and local leaders against charging illegal fees in government schools.
“Those who block my policy of free education are like the kuzilinga women who kill their children during birth. You are killing the future of our country by conserving ignorance,” Museveni remarked.
He praised the Presidential Skilling Hubs, which have empowered youth who had previously dropped out of school to acquire vocational skills in tailoring, carpentry, and shoe making trades that were once dominated by imports.
Restocking and Regional Equity
Addressing the issue of livestock restocking, Museveni said government had faced legal disputes that delayed implementation, but consensus was now being reached to ensure fairness.
“We have agreed that every homestead will receive a basic restocking package. However, Acholi will require special consideration because it suffered longer during the LRA war,” he said.
Museveni added that he had written to the Prime Minister to design a variation of the restocking program to cater for genuinely war-affected families in Acholi.
Infrastructure and Social Development
The President also announced plans to establish a technical institute in the district and upgrade Koch Goma Health Centre III to a Health Centre IV to enhance service delivery.
He thanked Adogoraj Meri Laquara Mabel for donating land for the NRM office in Nwoya, describing her gesture as a patriotic act that reflects true commitment to national progress.
“These are the issues I wanted to share with you today, education, restocking, and compensation. We are going to handle them one by one,” Museveni concluded, as supporters chanted “Apwoyo”.