By Patriot corps
Augustine Otuko, the Private Secretary to the President incharge of Political Affairs – Statehouse has demolished Hon Ebwalu Jonathan the MP for Soroti City West opportunism on his recent outburst on the matter of compensation on Social Media.
This comes as Hon Okiror Bosco, MP Usuk County, Katakwi District who doubles as the Chairperson for Teso Parliamentary group on his social Media post last week accused Ebwalu for being a populist and a self seeker by wanting to portray that other Teso leaders were doing nothing to help Teso people on cattle compensation. Hon Okiror had stated that Teso leaders were collectively working together with leaders from Acholi and Lango to address the matter of compensation.
In a retaliatory Press conference for Hon Ebwalu on Friday 12th April 2024, Hon Ebwalu accused Hon Okiror for being one of those letting Teso Down. “For Okiror the so called Chairman of Teso Parliamentary Group, who should be leading us to attack me instead of supporting me is very unfortunate. Am going to meet Okiror in Parliament and tell him to his face that you are one of the people who is letting the people of Teso down” he stated.
In response to Hon Ebwalu Outburst on Teso Development Forum WhatsApp group that this Website has seen, Augustine Otuko reaffirmed Hon Okiror’s earlier position and called Hon Ebwalu as a backward and archaic politician who survives on populism by undermining the efforts of all other leaders in the region.
“My Brother Ebwalu is purely a populist who wants to undermine all leaders for selfish reasons” Augustine noted.
He added that, On Cattle compensation, a lot has been collectively done by Teso leaders including but not limited to MPs, Speaker and Vice President. He noted that Teso MPs together with Lango and Acholi have severally voiced their position on this matter leading to the allocation of Shs. 50Billion in the Financial year 2022/2023. In the FY year, 2023/2024, Parliament allocated Shs 30 Billion for the same purpose for the three regions but the Money was not released by finance due to several reasons including but not limited to budget cuts. He observed that In this coming Financial year (2024/2025), the budget framework paper and the Ministerial policy statements had well captured the issue of compensation. Without going to the details, he further noted that Parliamentary Chairpersons for Teso, Lango and Acholi have together had several engagements with Attorney General on the same matter.
Otuko also revealed that, in more than two seatings, Cabinet has discussed the matter of compensation and its deeper implications. On the other hand the Speaker of parliament has had several engagements with executive on the same matter.
“Our brother Ebwalu indicates in this Video that he will walk out of parliament if the matter of compensation is NOT addressed. If I May ask as a cassava farmer, How Viable is the politics of walking out when the Person chairing the House comes from Teso ? Isn’t this a vote of no confidence on our own person?” Otuko wondered.
The former NGARIAM county MP contender, also observed that he has watched Hon Ebwalu on Social/Main stream media saying Rt Hon Anita Among is his Mentor. “So why doesn’t he just walk to the Rt Hon Anita’s office and ask her to prevail on the matter of her people?” He further questioned.
He Additionally noted that the VP comes from Teso and wondered whether Hon Ebwalu had engaged her on the same.
Otuko ranted that Politics of populism is a thing of the past. Today leaders negotiate for their people by being involved in critical budgeting processes.
Augustine further revealed that he consulted with their teams that do research in parliament and they indicated that yesterday, parliament went upto late (Around 10:00pm) laying ministerial policy statements. This is the stage People’s concerns are captured in the budgeting processes.
“Our Brother Ebwalu wasn’t in parliament to raise the important matter of compensation even though it is already captured. As a matter of fact, The Matter of increasing funding for Soroti Referral Hospital was raised by non other than Honorable Suzan Amero, the AMURIA District Woman MP. Our brother who recently paraded himself in the Media by locking the Hospital wasn’t present in the House yet tomorrow when more funding comes to Soroti Hospital they will be running to the media to claim credit”
Augustine Otuko concludes by saying “it is therefore backward and archaic for leaders to shout in the media while doing nothing in the critical processes in the House to help the region.
The Speaker of Parliament and the VP have provided an opportunity for the region to Address its challenges and it’s advisable that leaders at all levels in Teso engage them for the betterment of the region.”