Daniel Edyegu
2 December 2008
Kampala — Karamoja leaders on Friday shunned the regional elections for the Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA).
The drama started after the Ntungamo chairman, John Wycliffe Karazaarwe and the Arua chairman, Ferua Andama, were declared president and vice-president of the association respectively.
During the election, the leaders matched to the front where the local government state minister, Hope Mwesigye was seated and protested over being grouped under the eastern region.
"Karamoja is neither in the east nor north. We are an independent region with specific challenges," John Nangiro, the Nakapiripirit district chairperson, said.
The sub-region comprises the districts of Kaabong, Moroto, Kotido Abim and Nakapiripirit.
Karazaarwe agreed that the leaders had a genuine complaint because the national Constitution recognises Karamoja as an independent region
"Since their contention is with the ULGA constitution, we are going to discuss with the Ministry of Justice and that of Local Government," said Karazaarwe.
The ULGA is an umbrella organisation that brings together district chairpersons, LC3 chairpersons, chief administrative officers, sub-county chiefs and district council speakers.
Efforts by the ULGA deputy secretary general, Gertrude Gamwera, to convince the leaders to participate were futile.
The Abim chairman, Norman Ochero, said the sub-region was being sidelined in the affairs of ULGA because their status was obscure.
"I stood as the northern regional speaker of ULGA in 2003 and won the seat. But my opponent petitioned that Abim is in the east," Ochero argued.
In the final results, the Gulu chairman, Norbert Mao, was elected northern regional chairman, Charles Walimbwa (Manafwa) as eastern chairman while Michael Mugisa, the Kabarole chairman, was chosen to represent the west and Vincent Ssemakula (Rakai) for the central region.
For the CAO's, Samuel Katehangwa was elected for central, Margaret Gimogoi (eastern), Ben Otim (northern) and Charles Kiberu (western).
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