Bobi Wine stings govt for neglecting Abim hospital, roads

National Unity Platform (NUP) President  Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine has  visited Abim district, spotlighting the dire state of Abim Hospital and the poor infrastructure in the area.

While addressing residents in Abim, he expressed outrage over the conditions and called on the government to address what he termed a "humanitarian crisis" in the region.

Abim Hospital, originally constructed in 1969 by former President Apollo Milton Obote, was once the best healthcare in Karamoja, complete with piped water and a steady electricity supply.

However, residents now describe a very different reality.

Bobi Wine echoed their frustrations, stating, "It is heartbreaking to see the hospital neglected to this extent. How can we call this a health facility when it’s barely functioning?"

Residents shared stories of their daily struggles to get medical help.

According to a local resident Rebecca Akello, the hospital often operates without basic utilities like electricity and water.

"The beds are rusted, the mattresses are torn, and you can’t even find Panadol," she lamented.

She explained that the hospital is often in darkness, forcing staff to rely on kerosene lamps and mobile phones to perform critical tasks.

Even more concerning, residents noted that the facility has become a refuge for bats, with empty wards left to fall into ruin.

"Abim Hospital is no longer a place of healing but a breeding ground for bats," Akello said.

In a similar visit in 2015, former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye had exposed these conditions, revealing dilapidated structures, bat-infested wards, and medical staff struggling to serve the community without essential resources.

He documented the broken-down water and power systems and decried the demoralizing impact on health workers, some of whom had gone without pay for months.

His visit led to the suspension of the hospital’s senior nursing officer, Santina Adong, accused of allowing the hospital’s conditions to be publicized.

Speaking to the crowd, Bobi Wine urged Abim’s residents to voice their grievances and call out government neglect.

"This is not just Abim’s problem; it’s a national shame," he said.

"You deserve hospitals with medicine, roads you can travel on, and leaders who care. This suffering must end."

He  promised to bring long-needed reforms to healthcare and infrastructure across Uganda.

"Vote for change, and together, we will make Abim great again," he urged, receiving cheers and calls for action from the crowd.

Bobi Wine also blamed the government for failing to tarmac Soroti-Abim-Kidepo road saying it holds potential not only for local commerce but also for tourism, as it provides a convenient shortcut for visitors traveling from Soroti to the renowned Kidepo Valley National Park.

Locals agreed with Bobi Wine.

"It’s supposed to be a major route connecting Abim to Kidepo and Soroti and beyond, but it’s as though no one in government remembers we exist here. Every time it rains, the road turns into a muddy, impassable track, cutting us off."

The people of Abim, inspired by Bobi Wine’s call to action marched the streets singing his songs. It is left to be seen if this visit will be a turning point for the community or another forgotten appeal for justice.