Forum for Democratic Change Presidential Candidate Nathan Nandala Mafabi has pledged to revive the glory of Cooperative Unions in the Acholi Sub-region to spur development and boost farmers’ agricultural ventures.
Addressing his first rally in the Acholi Subregion in Koch Goma Town council in Nwoya District on Thursday, Mafabi particularly pointed out the revival of West Acholi Cooperative Union and East Acholi Cooperative Union.
“We are bringing back the cooperatives. East and West Acholi Cooperatives will be back. Whatever you produce will be bought,” Mafabi told his supporters.
Both East Acholi and West Acholi Cooperatives were established in 1951 and 1960, respectively, with the major aim of bringing farmers together within the Acholi.
Mafabi also noted that his government will ensure that all villages and sub-counties have stores and warehouses where farmers can store their agricultural produce before selling it to the market.
He also pointed out his plans to revamp cooperative banks to assist farmers whenever they need money for personal development and investments.
Speaking at a separate rally in Alero Trading Center in Alero Sub-county, the FDC Presidential candidate highlighted some of the key priorities his government will tackle.
They ranged from addressing poverty through the disbursement of a 100 million grant in every village, supporting women entrepreneurs through grants paid only after they have developed, lowering taxes, and issuing lower loans of two million shillings payable in five years to boda boda riders to acquire motorcycles.
Nandala said boda riders who obtain the loans will pay only 400,000 shillings. He further promised free education from primary to University level, salary enhancement for all teachers, and the fight against corruption.
He described corruption as a problem that has affected the development of the country under the leadership of President Yoweri Museveni in the last 40 years.
What locals say
Dominic Oringa, 68, a resident of Alero Sub-county, raised concerns that bad road remains a major challenge for locals to access health facilities, schools, and markets in the area.
Oringa specifically pointed at the delayed rehabilitation of the 22 km Alero road that connects from Corner Nwoya to Kati Kati in Amuru district, which hasn’t been repaired by the government despite repeated pleas from he locals.
“I grew up in this area, and the state of the road has been the same. Each year and campaign season, the government promises to rehabilitate, but nothing happens. We are tired of dust and the mud during the rainy and dry seasons,” said Oringa.
Francis Ocean, another resident of Bwobo Nam A parish, in Alero Sub county, equally raised concerns on the persistent drug stockout in government health facilities within the Sub county and Anaka General Hospital.
Ocen noted that most times, health facilities don’t have drugs, yet the government claims it supplies medicine, which has left the locals opting to pay heavily to access such medical services in private health facilities.
“When you go to a government hospital, they refer you to get the drugs from private health facilities. We don’t understand whether it’s true that the drugs are completely over or not because many people are unable to afford treatment from private facilities,” said Ocen.
Ocen urged the presidential candidates to keep promises of their manifestos during the campaigns and implement them in the next government to improve the welfare of the voters, citing key priorities on health, education, and roads.
Mafabi was today accompanied in his rallies in Nwoya district by Jonathan Ebwalu, the Soroti City legislator, Kilak South legislator Gilbert Olanya, and the Nwoya East County FDC flag bearer Moses .
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