Pallisa, Uganda: Pallisa District LCV Chairperson Ben Okiria has strongly dismissed allegations of tribalism in the appointment of his District Executive Committee (DEC), insisting that the leadership team reflects regional balance and lawful procedure rather than ethnic considerations.
Okiria, who was sworn into office on May 13, said attempts by some individuals to portray his executive as tribal were misleading and aimed at creating unnecessary divisions within the district.
“The artificial storm being escalated around the executive committee establishment aimed at fueling tribal differences should be ignored,” Okiria said during a press briefing.
The district chairperson was responding to criticism from sections of the public who accused him of favouring members of the Iteso community while sidelining the Bagwere in the composition of the executive.
However, Okiria defended the appointments, saying all four counties in Pallisa were represented and that the selected leaders emerged through a lawful council approval process. “The councillors whom I picked into the executive committee are derived from all four counties in Pallisa district,” he said.
He cited Didi Opio, whom he described as a Mugwere from Putiput Sub-county in Pallisa County, appointed Secretary for Finance and Administration; Fildah Rose Oloit from Kibale County as Vice Chairperson; William Emuron from Agule as Secretary for Works, Technical Services and Production; and Doreen Atim from Gogonyo as Secretary for Social Services.
“The members I picked passed through a legal process of being seconded and discussed by councillors as guided by the regulations before approval,” Okiria added.
He maintained that if there had been any concerns, they would have been raised during council deliberations.
Focus on service delivery
Okiria said his administration was focused on improving service delivery in critical sectors including education, roads, environmental conservation and household income generation rather than engaging in divisive politics.
“It should be noted that I had only four positions against 42 councillors because two became Speaker and Deputy Speaker,” he explained.
He further argued that Pallisa’s social fabric makes tribal divisions impractical, noting that the Iteso and Bagwere communities have coexisted and intermarried for generations.
“There is no single village in Pallisa occupied by only one tribe. After every few homes, you find either Bagwere or Iteso families. Poverty has no tribe and service delivery is not meant for one ethnic group,” Okiria said.
Speaker backs Okiria
Pallisa District Speaker Jeremiah Ariong also defended the appointments, saying regional balance across counties had been observed and that the chairperson had the legal mandate to choose officials he could effectively work with.
“During campaigns, Hon Okiria moved around all the 21 sub-counties marketing his manifesto in line with the NRM agenda. Nowhere did he promise executive positions based on tribe,” Ariong said.
He urged residents to move beyond ethnic politics and focus on development. “It is high time people looked beyond tribal lines because such narratives only create setbacks for Pallisa District.”
Residents defend executive selections
Several residents and local leaders also rallied behind the district chairperson, saying criticism against the executive appointments was premature.
Annet Asio from Gogonyo welcomed the inclusion of women in the executive, praising the appointment of Fildah Rose Oloit as Vice Chairperson and Doreen Atim as Secretary for Social Services.
“To me it is uncalled for to judge a leader immediately after swearing-in before he even starts work,” Asio said.
Emmanuel Musigire from Pallisa Town Council argued that the appointment of Didi Opio helped address historical imbalances in executive representation for Putiput Sub-county.
“Previous administrations had never given Putiput an executive slot. Picking Opio was the best decision,” Musigire said.
Opio himself rejected claims questioning his identity and appointment. “It is wrong for some people to call me an Itesot simply because of my name. What matters is service delivery and allowing us to begin work,” he said.
Meanwhile, Doreen Atim questioned critics who expected the chairperson to appoint people outside the elected council structure. “People selected by the chairperson are councillors. Did they want Hon Okiria to pick people outside the council?” she asked.
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