Nwoya, Uganda: Thousands of residents, cultural and religious leaders, politicians, elders, women, youth and children gathered in Alero Sub-county, Nwoya District, for a thanksgiving ceremony celebrating the election of Woman Member of Parliament Christine Lanyero Awany, popularly known as Mego Larem.
The celebration, marked by music, traditional dances and messages of appreciation, brought together residents from different parts of the district to thank God for Lanyero’s election and celebrate her representation of the interests and aspirations of the people of Nwoya.
Lanyero, who serves on the Presidential Affairs Committee, Appointments Committee and Government Assurance Committee of Parliament, arrived shortly before midday and was received about half a mile from the main celebration venue by traditional Acholi dancers and thousands of supporters.
Her procession to the venue attracted particular attention, with women dressed in yellow, the colour associated with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), dancing on their knees as they escorted her to her seat.
Although the final procession covered only about 50 metres, it lasted more than 10 minutes as supporters cheered, danced and celebrated their newly elected representative.
Behind the celebrations, however, religious and community leaders used the occasion to draw attention to the challenges continuing to affect households across Nwoya.
They highlighted poverty, poor education standards, school dropouts, land conflicts, domestic violence, excessive alcohol consumption, unemployment and what some described as declining commitment to productive work.
Nwoya District LCV Chairperson Patrick Okello Oryema challenged residents to change their attitude towards agriculture and improve household food security, saying the district has vast fertile land but continues to struggle with poverty.
Okello, who had recently returned from a district exchange visit to Mbarara, said residents could learn from communities with smaller and less fertile land that have nevertheless improved their incomes and food security.
He urged households to reserve part of their agricultural produce for food instead of selling everything, while encouraging farmers engaged in cash crop production to maintain gardens for food crops such as cassava and potatoes.
The chairman also challenged men and young people to engage in productive activities and prepare for their future instead of excessive drinking and leaving agricultural responsibilities largely to women.
He said women had increasingly become the backbone of many households and pledged that the district administration would work with Lanyero’s office to advance development in Nwoya.
The thanksgiving also brought attention to the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, particularly children requiring specialised education.
The district councillor representing persons with disabilities said although some schools could accommodate learners with physical disabilities, many lacked facilities suitable for visually impaired children.
She said the nearest suitable school for such learners is in Gulu City, making access to education difficult for children from Nwoya.
The gathering also provided an opportunity for survivors of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) conflict to renew their calls for government support.
Ociti Michael, an LRA returnee, appealed for assistance for war victims who lost limbs and now require prosthetic devices.
He said some organisations that previously provided prosthetic devices free of charge had stopped doing so, leaving some survivors unable to afford the costly equipment.
Ociti also called on government to fulfil outstanding commitments made to war returnees to enable them to rebuild their lives and live with dignity in their communities.
In her address, Lanyero acknowledged the challenges facing Nwoya, saying she encountered many of them during her campaigns, particularly in education, health and livelihoods.
She said addressing the challenges would require cooperation between leaders and citizens, with each level of leadership understanding its responsibilities.
Lanyero also told residents that the election period was over and that leaders should now concentrate on development.
“I was elected on the NRM ticket, but I now belong to the people of Nwoya,” she said, stressing that her representation would not be limited to people who voted for her.
She encouraged residents to take advantage of government programmes, including Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM), which she said had transformed lives in different parts of the country.
Lanyero cited the example of a woman from the Lango sub-region who, after receiving Shs1 million through PDM, hired an acre of land and subsequently developed a livestock enterprise with more than 60 sheep.
She said she wanted to see similar success stories emerge from Nwoya.
At the same time, Lanyero warned leaders and officials against abusing government programmes, citing concerns surrounding PDM funds and the ongoing cattle compensation programme. She said anyone found misappropriating public resources should face the law.
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