By Richard Onapatum
The Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo has challenged the Iteso and Japadhola communities living in Tororo district to promote collaboration, unity and peaceful coexistence to fully benefit from government programs.
“The people of Tororo should concentrate on issues that bring them together as opposed to those that divide them. It is time to sit down and talk about where you want to take Tororo district,” the vice president said.
She made the remarks yesterday as the chief mourner at the burial ceremony of Miss Martha Bendo 48, in western division, Tororo Municipality, Tororo district.
Bendo was a blood sister to the Katakwi District Internal Security Officer, Lieutenant Moses Benon Oguti.
Her decent send-off was attended by many dignitaries including the cultural leaders of both the Iteso and Tieng Adhola Cultural Unions, Papa Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot and His Highness Moses Stephen Owor respectively.
Other dignitaries included; members of parliament from Teso and Bukeddi sub regions, Katakwi district officials, the clergy , RDCs, friends and family.
Alupo told hundreds of mourners that the time is now for them to explore areas of cooperation particularly in terms of social services and cultural transformation adding that this can be through jointly working with the government to benefit the populace.
She pledged to provide her office (Office of the vice president) as one of the vehicles to facilitate dialogue between the Iteso and Japadhola people.
“We should use these occasions to advocate for social services such as upgrading of health centres, construction of specialized hospitals, renovation of Tororo hospital, tarmacking of roads as opposed to talking about divisionism in the district,” Alupo said.
The vice president told mourners that in this world, we have to recognize the fact that we’re now living in a global village and called for teamwork between the Iteso and Jopadhola people to achieve socioeconomic transformation.
“Issues of divisionism were also tried in Europe and South Africa etc, but they did not go far, the people had to unite and are now living as one people. Issues of divisionism are no-longer sustainable under the sun,” Alupo said.
She assured the people of Tororo that what has been transpiring in the district politically in terms of sectarianism will come to an end.
“The issue of divisionism has to come to a complete stop and as leaders we’re here to facilitate and participate in the dialogue. We shall not use force but dialogue until we come to a consensus so that the people of Tororo can fully benefit from government programs without being diverted by issues which are counterproductive,” Alupo said.
She further noted that in the NRM party, there’s no discrimination based on either tribe, gender, religion, age, adding that all the people are treated equally.
The vice president thanked His highness Moses Stephen Owor for inviting his counterpart Papa Sande Emorimor to attend the burial of his daughter (Martha Bendo) saying this’ a sign of the beginning of dialogue between the two cultural leaders.
The Kwara Adhola is the caretaker of the Bendo family following the death of their biological head years ago.
She urged the people of Tororo to embrace government livelihood programs such as PDM, Emyooga to fight poverty in their homesteads as they create wealth and jobs. She added that the government will continue with all the policies of education, health, road network, electricity, water for livestock and irrigation etc.
Alupo lauded the Kwara Adhola who doubles as the Bendo’s family head, for giving the nation such a hardworking son (DISO Katakwi).
“When DISO called me about the sudden death of his sister, I got extremely humbled. He was practically wailing on the phone for about three minutes. Very rare for men to cry on the phone. He was speaking very passionately about his fallen sister Martha.
So your Highness the Kwara Adhola you brought up a son with a very big heart. DISO told me all the good things Martha was doing for the family when she was alive. These are the families we should nurture; an African family full of love, unity, humility, peace, togetherness and well-groomed children,” Alupo told mourners.
She asked cultural and religious institutions to pick a leaf from this family by helping the country to groom children who are very compassionate about others and full of humility.
The Kwara Adhola Moses Stephen Owor told mourners that, “The world is becoming one, and if charity begins at home, it is an obligation for people of Tororo to ensure that whatever may have been separating them, that each one individually examines his conscience to examine what might have been the cause of the so called disunity in this district.”
The king described Tororo as a mother town, and a mini- United States. “In United States, they have a motto which says, we are all one, though originating from different directions. Similarly there are so many people living in Tororo originating from different parts of Uganda and beyond.”
The Kwar Adhola emphasized the paramount importance of peace, unity, and development and reinforced the shared values and aspirations of the Padhola people.
Papa Emorimor Paul Sande who was invited to speak by his counterpart Kwara Adhola, called for peaceful coexistence of the Iteso and Japadhola people and reminded them of the enduring values that bind those communities together and the collective efforts needed to drive forward the regions’ development.
He said cultural leaders of the Iteso and Jopadhola communities are taking steps to reunite their subjects with the aim of fostering development and peaceful coexistence.
