Mao starts northern campaign soon

Norbert Mao the Democratic President has drawn a programme to visit northern Uganda from June 28th to July 16th.

The Party’s Spokesperson Emmanuel Lutukumoi said that the party will be accompanied by senior members of the public.

The public has been complaining that Mao is concentrating his campaign in Buganda ignoring other parts of the country including the north, his region of origin.

Lutukumoi said the party president has so far created and strengthened structures in Buganda, Ankole, Busoga and western Uganda where he has already visited.

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Stampede in Otunnu’s Home Visit

A frenzy of excitement broke out on Friday morning as hundreds of people thronged onto the streets of Kitgum town to have a glimpse at the UPC Party president Olara Otunnu.

Otunnu, a native of Kitgum, is touring his home district for the first time since he returned from his self-imposed exile in the USA.

Dressed in a UPC party Colored garb, Otunu, touched base in Kitgum town at around 9:00am, and grounding all activity in the town to halt.

Several shops were left unattended to, as shopkeepers and buyers alike flocked to the streets to have a glimpse of Otunnu.

Business transactions at the women dominated Kitgum Market was for 30 minutes suspended. There have been no reports of injuries.

Otunnu, who started his Kitgum tour on Wednesday in Nakumkora sub-county, was on his way to Lamwo district where he will address rallies in several sub-counties before addressing a grand one at Kitgum town council Boma ground later in the afternoon.

Otunnu ended his tour of Kitgum district with a talk show appearance at the Mighty Fire Fm Radio station.

Gulu CID Arrested for Corruption

Police in Gulu have arrested one of their own Detective Wilson Azale for allegedly receiving a bribe of 150,000 shillings.

The money was reportedly meant to induce him to amend a charge against the driver who crushed a 4-year-old boy identified as Ronny Opiyo to death on June 3rd on K-Road in Gulu town.

Another kid identified as Latifah Abalo who was also involved in the accident survived with serious injuries.

The driver identified only as Michael was charged with driving without a permit and causing bodily harm.

But Stephen Olanya, the LC1 chairman of Green Valley sub ward in Gulu town who is an uncle to the deceased told journalists he was not satisfied with the charges since death had occurred.

He said he approached Azale who promised to assist him amend the charges but asked him to pay a bribe of 150,000 shillings.

Olanya said he however alerted Azale’s police bosses who laid a trap for Azale at the High Court premises from where he was arrested with the money today in the afternoon.

Johnson Kilama, the Northern region police spokesperson confirmed Azale’s arrest saying he will be prosecuted in courts of law.

Kilama added that they are happy with the development since police is fighting corruption within its rank and file adding that they so far arrested three police officers on corruption allegations.

Police personnel at Gulu Central Police Station where Azale is being held were excited about his arrest saying they are tired of his corrupt practices and arrogance since he is linked to their bosses at police headquarters.

HIV-AIDs “Drug” Discovered in Pader.

What befell Acholiland and its people in the last two decades has been told and re-told several times and will definitely continue to be told for years to come.

The deaths, abductions and disruption of the socio-economic fabric of a society that was herded into the infamous internally displaced people’s camps do present rich sources of very compelling stories.

The guns have now fallen silent and efforts by government and development partners among others to try and heal the wounds are around us.

Unfortunately, as the healing process rides on the peace now being enjoyed, the expected beneficiaries are abusing the efforts by engaging in acts that are again putting their lives at risk.

There are rampant cases of violent land disputes, gender-based violence and robberies as people who huddled together in fear of a common enemy Kony, turn against one another basically for selfish reasons.

Then there is HIV/AIDS. Most young people especially in the urban centers think the restoration of peace means reckless enjoyment in bars and clubs which have exposed them to HIV infection.

National and international surveys talk of a high HIV prevalence in post-war northern Uganda, especially in Acholi not comparable to any other part of the country.

Like in Pader the National Sero-Behaviour Survey puts the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate at 11 percent against the national average of 6.4 percent.

But what surprises the more is that despite this worrying trend which has been made public, no one including visitors and residents in the district seem to care.

In many of the disco clubs and drinking joints this reporter visited, commercial sex is brisk business. Most youth ignorantly compares HIV to Malaria which they say no longer kills.

Alfred Akena, the district vice chairman also secretary for health agrees with the observation saying it is the biggest challenge in the fight against HIV/AIDs in the district.

Alfred Ojara, a traditional herbalist has taken advantage of the situation to put his medical prowess to the forefront claiming he can cure Aids.

The 48 year-old healer explains how he discovered the local medicines which he is now using to treat the more than 400 clients living with HIV/AIDS.

He explains that he got the confidence that his medicines can cure sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis-TB in 1991 after he treated himself and got cured of syphilis.

Ojara says his medicine is a concoction made from roots of different tree species which he dries and pounds into powder.

He says he charges his clients between 25, 000 to 60, 000 shillings for treatment.

Ojara has a list of more than 400 people living with HIV/AIDS mainly women from within Uganda and across the borders from Kenya, DRC and Southern Sudan who he is treating.

However Ojara’s intervention has attracted criticism from the district health officials who accuse him of de-campaigning the ARV therapy.

They also maintain that Ojara’s drug does not cure AIDS.

Alfred Akena, Pader district vice chairman also secretary for health says they have received reports indicating that a number of those on ARV drugs have abandoned them for Ojara’s medicine.


This has drawn the attention of officials from World Health Organization who visited Ojara’s clients to investigate his wonder drug.

Last year a team collected blood samples from five clients. Two of them tested negative while three tested positive. The negative samples and Ojara’s drug were taken for further investigation.

However, Ojara’s clients claim their health is now much better.

NRM CHAIRMAN CROSSES TO FDC.

Former NRM vice chairman for gulu District Ben Acellam Has crossed to Forum for Democratic Party – FDC.

He said he feels comfortable with FDC because of its internal democracy unlike the NRM.

He also declared his intention to contest for the LCV Chairman Gulu district on the FDC ticket.

Accellam becomes the first person to officially declare intentions to contest for Gulu district LCV office.

Kidepo National Park

An elephant in Kidepo National park which is located in the norheastern part of Uganda which is Karamoja and borders Kenya and sudan.

Kidepo National Park has been a park since 1954,it has a size of 1442 km2. The park is accessible by road and air.

UPC to Meet in Gulu

UPC leadership is planning to meet in Gulu on June 12th to lay strategies on how to win the 2011 presidential elections.

The party president Dr. Olara Otunnu revealed this during public rallies and meetings with supporters in Amuru and Oyam districts over the weekend.

Olara Otunnu who is on a national mobilization tour, urged supporters to register so that their dream of returning their party back to power can become a reality.

Otunnu urged his listeners not to fear to cast their votes for the party when the time comes noting that some people are allegedly afraid of voting against the NRM even if they do not support it.

He was accompanied on the tour by Moyo MP Dr. Moses Apiliga.

IPC Non Starter.

Veteran politician and former leader of the defunct Liberal Party Tiberio Okeny Atwoma has condemned the Inter-Party Cooperation formed by FDC, UPC, JEEMA, and CP as a non-starter.

He said Uganda does not have a history of successful political alliances citing the post-independence KY/UPC alliance which collapsed leading to the 1966 Buganda Crisis.

Okeny Atwoma who is also a strong DP supporter further blamed the leaders of the parties under the IPC for taking a decision to come together without consulting supporters of their parties.

He said this is taking the supporters for a ride because they also have ideas to contribute for or against such an alliance and other matters concerning their respective parties.

Okeny who was addressing journalists in Kitgum town also asked government to fund all registered parties to enable them tour the country to sell their manifestos to the electorate before the 2011 elections.

Asked whether he will stand for any elective post in the coming elections, Okeny who is in his 80s said it is not yet time for him to declare his political intentions.

Oyam Farmer joins UPC in protest

A farmer in Oyam district whose farm was earmarked for a visit by president Yoweri Museveni during his ‘Prosperity for all’ tour in Lango in March has joined UPC party in protest saying NRM officials denied him the privilege.

Joel Opio of Ngai Sub County who owns a very big pineapple farm told the UPC president Olara Otunnu that the LCIII Chairperson Beatrice Okello manipulated the visit and instead took the president to her farm.

Dr. Olara Otunnu who was on a tour of the area visited the farm on Sunday and was impressed and issued him and his family UPC cards.

The LC III chairperson Beatrice Okello acknowledged that Opio was among five farmers whose farms were selected to be visited by the president.

But she said the president was visiting NAADS funded projects, Opio’s farm could not qualify because his is a personal initiative.

President Museveni gave Beatrice Okello’s family 4 million shillings in appreciation for their hard work.

They planted citrus trees during a dry spell and were using mineral water bottles to irrigate the orchard.