NRM unopposed in Pallisa as all competitors withdraw in favour of Orone

The independent candidate in the Gogonyo County Parliamentary byelections, Issa Taligola, has withdrawn his candidature from the race before the National Chairman of NRM, President Yoweri Museveni.

“In the interest of the party and in respect of your duty as Chairman, I hereby step down,” said Taligola before the mammoth crowd that had gathered at Kaukura Primary School playground in Gogonyo County.

President Museveni, on his part, told the excited and ululating gathering that he had put together his children, talked to them and they have accepted to step down.

The other candidates, Opolot of FDC and Okoboi of NUP, had earlier announced their withdrawal from the race.

The candidates were advised to put their withdrawal in writing to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission from where it will officially be declared.

“This counts as a day of celebration. I brought together these children and talked to them. Taligola and Opolot have stepped down and Okoboi has stepped down,” he said.

However, the NRM National Chairman urged the people of Pallisa district and Gogonyo County, in particular, to unite and coexist amicably assuring them that tribal issues simmering between the Iteso, Bagwere and Bakenyi will be resolved mainly by the elders.

“That one is not a big issue. It can be handled by the NRM elders if you follow my advice,” he counselled.

The NRM National Chairman made the remarks today while canvassing votes for the NRM flag bearer, Hon. Derrick Orone, after court, ordered fresh elections.

President Museveni told the attentive rally convened at Agururu Primary School playgrounds in Obutete Sub-County in Pallisa district that election are not about providing people with jobs but about solving the problems faced by the whole population.

He urged them to vote Hon. Orone in the Thursday by-elections as he will be sitting in the NRM caucus meetings and will articulate any problems faced by the people of Gogonyo County for the Government's immediate attention.

“I am telling you to vote for yourselves. The elections are about you, not individuals. It is about which party we should support that can solve our problems,” he advised.

He used the same occasion to urge all leaders, especially MPs, to teach their people ways of creating wealth at the household level. He added that Government has come up with a plan that should be adopted by wananchi depending on land holdings.

He advised that people with small land holdings of 4 acres or less can go in for intensive commercial modern agriculture that includes one acre for coffee, one for fruits, one for food crops and in the fourth acre, one can grow pasture for zero grazing.

He further advised families with four acres to practice intensive commercial agriculture by opening up poultry farms in the back yard for eggs, piggery for non-Muslims and if a family is near the swamp, fish farming which is more suitable than rice growing which degrades wetlands.

The President told the people that Government has plans to start irrigation schemes that will enable farmers to do agriculture all-year round.

“We are now going to introduce irrigation. I drove all the way from Tirinyi to Pallisa town; there is water and irrigation can be practised on those gentle hills,” he said.