Mr President, let this day to honour the legacy of Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo be more than a thanksgiving, but a national awakening to stop only urging Acholi to vote, but turn your promises into policies. turn speeches into building better infrastructures and service delivery. It’s not too late to make things work right for the sub-region.
Agago District today welcomes President Museveni for a thanksgiving for Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo.
The Acholi will, in their tens of thousands, also troop in to honour a national icon—one of their own—from rural Aloi in Patongo, Agago District, Northern Uganda.
Owiny-Dollo’s journey to the country’s top judicial office is a beacon of possibility to every rural child. But behind the celebrations lies a growing frustration – why Agago—and the Acholi sub-region — have remained underdeveloped despite 5 years of political loyalty to the President and the ruling NRM party?
Voting in hope, left in the cold
In the 2021 presidential elections, Agago solidly backed President Museveni with 74.57% of the vote. Similarly, other districts across the Acholi sub-region followed suit, with Pader (63.61%), Lamwo (57.10%), and Omoro (60.68%). Overall, the Acholi support for President Museveni stood at a commanding 60.36 percent.
This was a statement of trust, belief, and political realignment. But nearly 5 years later, the return on this loyalty is dismal. The infrastructure in the region is crumbling, with critical services underfunded.
Likewise, economic programmes have underperformed as the region continues to be labelled —incorrectly — as “Uganda’s poorest.”
To illustrate, the 2024 Auditor General’s Report on Agago offers hard evidence of systemic dysfunction of the public service as seen below:
- Shs124.8 million in staff advances lacked proper documentation.
- Shs145 million in cash adjustments were unsupported by receipts.
- Shs134 million in pension overpayments and Shs176 million in underpayments.
- Nearly 49% of critical staff positions across key sectors remain unfilled.
- Of the 78 required agricultural extension workers, only 17 are employed — many without qualifications, transport, or impact reports.
- Equally, the Parish Development Model (PDM),which is intended to boost rural incomes, has failed to deliver in Agago.
- Shs5.85 billion, meant for Q3 of FY 2023/2024, was disbursed months late in FY2024/2025.
- 20 beneficiaries failed to account for Shs20 million.
- Over 2,100 households used funds on non-priority projects.
- All sampled SACCOs lacked licences, signage, and registered offices—and did not meet inclusion quotas for women, youth, or persons with disabilities.
- Without robust structures, PDM risks becoming another missed opportunity.
Funds returned, services denied
Despite the widespread need, Agago District returned Shs10.89 billion — largely intended for
education — because of delayed disbursements.
Meanwhile, Shs929 million worth of planned activities went unfunded. Yet alarmingly, Shs5.48 billion in supplementary funds were accessed without proper requisitioning — raising serious financial accountability questions.
While there is a degree of local incompetence, there are also deep inefficiencies at central government level, where delayed releases and poor oversight undermine district performance.
Six urgent steps to reverse the trend
To turn the solid political loyalty of the Acholi sub-region into genuine progress, six immediate reforms need to be undertaken.
- Timely fund disbursement by adjusting releases for inflation and avoiding end-of-year
lump sums.
- Unfreeze recruitment and prioritise critical posts in health, education, and agriculture.
- Strengthen oversight and enforce financial controls and address pension mismanagement.
- Support agriculture and deploy qualified, well-equipped extension workers.
- Regulate SACCOs and ensure PDM groups are licensed, inclusive, and monitored.
- Invest in health and roads and establish a district hospital and tarmac the Gulu–Moroto corridor.
So, Mr President, let your visit to Agago District kick off concrete change to deliver results for the your newfound bedrock of political support, beginning with:
- Tarmacking the Gulu–Moroto road to boost trade and connectivity.
- Build a fully equipped district hospital in Agago.
- Ensure full and timely release and utilisation of funds.
- Reverse chronic underperformance in education through targeted intervention.
- Enforce a minimum staffing level of 75% in all essential services across Acholi.
- Acholi is a region of Potential, Not Poverty, so, the the label “poorest region” is not only inaccurate—it is damaging. Acholi covers 12% of Uganda’s landmass and boasts vast fertile land, only 30% of which is under cultivation.
- Beyond agriculture, the region holds enormous mineral wealth, with the Jobi-Rii oilfield in Nwoya containing 28% of Uganda’s recoverable oil. Even more, over 65% of estimated national reserves lie beneath Acholi soil.
- The Orom graphite deposit in Kitgum could be one of the largest globally, holding up to 3 billion tons of this critical mineral. So, this is not poverty—it is potential waiting to be activated.
Match loyalty with progress
So, Mr President, since the Acholi sub-region delivered the votes in 2021, this loyalty should not go without development, lest it be taken as betrayal.
So, for the government to truly honour the legacy Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo, it should invest — in roads, hospitals, schools and people.
Let this be more than a thanksgiving, but a national awakening to stop urging Acholi to vote, while neglecting and tormenting them with the title of “poverty”.
In sum, President Museveni could turn promises into policies. turn speeches into building better infrastructures and service delivery. It’s not too late to make things right.
Anton Latinga Owiny-Dollo Jr is Diaspora-based Mental Health
Clinician & Social Justice Advocate
