Pallisa, Uganda: Bishop Simon Peter Oullo, the head of Good Shepherd Care Ministries and former headteacher of Bukedea Secondary School, has officially launched his campaign to represent Agule County in Pallisa District, unveiling a five-point work plan he says will transform the area.
Speaking to a large crowd gathered at Good Shepherd Primary School playground on Saturday, June 28, Bishop Oullo dismissed criticism from rivals who have questioned his suitability to join politics as a man of God.
“All the biblical leaders were real men of God and perfectly delivered as expected,” Oullo said. “Uganda currently needs God-fearing leaders who put God first as portrayed by our motto.”
At 56 years old, Bishop Oullo resigned from his teaching career to enter elective politics, promising to focus on education, skills development, and community empowerment.
His five-point manifesto includes:
- Full bursaries for academic excellence: All students scoring Division One will receive full sponsorship, while those with aggregates 13 to 15 will get half bursaries.
- A technical school for skills training: He pledged to lobby for a technical institution to equip youth with employable skills.
- Universal primary schools: Oullo committed to ensuring every parish in Agule has at least one functional primary school.
- Women and youth empowerment: His plan will focus on supporting organized groups with resources to boost incomes.
- Community infrastructure and services: He vowed to lobby for better roads, health services, and clean water.
“My opponents are scared of my ability, credibility, and potential,” he said. “That is why they are fronting the issue of my being a bishop to decampaign me, forgetting that some of them have messed up the county, turning it into a ground for quarrels, fights, and endless petitions.”
Moses Angisa, the campaign manager for Team Oullo, told supporters that his candidate was not driven by personal gain. “He has not come to look for money,” Angisa said.
“He has been a headteacher of one of the greatest schools in Teso and runs a farm. If only each person here convinces five voters, Bishop Oullo will win by over 70%.”
John Aturo, a resident and longtime supporter, praised Oullo for his track record of community support. “This man has helped more than 15 children in Agule complete university,” Aturo said. “Basing on that alone, he deserves our support.”
Mr. Michael Ejiet, chairperson of the Parents Teachers Association at Bukedea SS, where Oullo led for years, described him as a transformative leader. “Because of his leadership, school performance improved and enrollment rose,” Ejiet said.
“That is why we brought him a cow as a token of appreciation to launch this campaign.”
Bishop Oullo’s entry into the Agule County race has already sparked intense debate as voters weigh between continuity and fresh leadership in the constituency.
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