Pallisa, Uganda: Gogonyo County Member of Parliament, Hon Derrick Orone, over the weekend fulfilled a campaign pledge by dressing 10,000 women with traditional gomesis in a highly attended launch ceremony presided over by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Annet Anita Among.
The event, held at Kapala Primary School, drew thousands from across Pallisa District and was graced by key dignitaries, including the Minister of State for Sports and MP for Ngariam County, Hon. Ogwang Peter, and Capt. Mike Mukula, the NRM Eastern Region Chairperson.
Hon Orone, during his 2021 campaign trail, promised to empower women through cultural dignity and economic inclusion, starting with the symbolic gesture of clothing. Speaking at the event, Rt. Hon. Among praised Orone for borrowing the idea from her own women empowerment initiatives in Bukedea and urged Pallisa voters to re-elect him along with other NRM-leaning candidates.
“I have brought for MP Orone UGX 30 million, UGX 20 million from the President and UGX 10 million from my office,” Hon Among said. “I also want to thank the district councillors with UGX 5 million for their dedication. Some concerns raised here will be addressed immediately.”
The Speaker reemphasized the government’s commitment to poverty eradication through the Parish Development Model (PDM), noting that Pallisa District has already received UGX 22 billion under the program, with UGX 5.5 billion allocated to Gogonyo County alone.
In his remarks, MP Orone raised key local concerns including the need for a ferry to link Opeta Landing Site in Gogonyo to Serere, Buyende, Kamuli, and Kaliro following repeated cases of drowning. He also lobbied for a government truck to be shared by Gogonyo’s four secondary schools; Apopong, Kaukura, Obutet, and Gogonyo, as well as the construction of a technical school for youth skilling.
“I want to thank the Speaker, her entourage, district leaders, and all the people of Gogonyo for standing with me today, both in the gomesi launch and the Orone Foundation fundraising drive,” MP Orone said.
LC5 Chairperson Patrick Duchu used the opportunity to express joy after Speaker Among reportedly agreed to remove George Oule Omoding from the LC5 race and “secure him a job elsewhere,” signaling internal NRM political realignment in Pallisa.
Hon. Ogwang, who donated UGX 5 million to Orone’s efforts, pledged to provide each parish in Gogonyo with five footballs and jerseys and promised that the Speaker would be reminded in Parliament to deliver on the truck and technical school requests.
Women ululated and danced in joy as they received the gomesis, turning the launch into a colorful celebration of both tradition and political momentum.
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