Pallisa, Uganda | Residents of Agule County in Pallisa District have praised their Member of Parliament, Josephine Ibaseret, for delivering on key pledges in her manifesto, particularly the acquisition of a dedicated water bowser to address water shortages during burials and other community events.
Bosco Okiria, the coordinator for Opadoi Parish in Akisim Sub-county, said Ibaseret had gone beyond the National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto by identifying and addressing challenges unique to Agule County. He explained that one of the major concerns had been the burden placed on women during burials, where they were often forced to leave funeral gatherings in search of water, causing them to miss important messages from religious leaders and community leaders. He described the delivery of the water bowser as one of the MP’s most notable achievements.
Addressing residents, Ibaseret acknowledged that Agule still faced several development challenges but urged the community to remain united and patient as she continued lobbying for government support in Kampala. She said it is unfair to judge the performance of a Member of Parliament based on immediate results, noting that challenges such as political fragmentation, inadequate secondary schools and poor performance in Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools required time, resources and sustained lobbying. She assured residents that they should not regret the trust they placed in her.
The legislator explained that purchasing a dedicated water bowser was a practical response to a pressing community need. She noted that many bereaved families could not afford approximately UGX 200,000 needed to fuel the district water tanker, which was also difficult to access because of administrative procedures. She added that using the district tanker, which is primarily meant for road works, at every burial would undermine its intended purpose and raise accountability concerns.
Chelekura Sub-county LCIII Chairperson John Bosco Okolong welcomed the intervention, saying it would benefit communities across Agule County. Meanwhile, Pallisa District Deputy Speaker and Chairperson of the School Management Committee of Opadoi Primary School, Charles Obela, appealed to the MP to support the school’s stalled fencing project, which has remained incomplete for nearly six years. He also requested assistance with solar installation to enable candidates attend remedial lessons in the evenings and improve security through lighting.
Justine Okiria, one of Ibaseret’s campaign coordinators, said the county could match the level of development seen in neighbouring areas if the MP is given sufficient time to implement her plans. He revealed that she is lobbying for the establishment of Universal Secondary Education (USE) seed schools in Akisim, Oboliso, Agule and Chelekura sub-counties, noting that neighbouring Gogonyo, which was carved out of Agule, had already attained full coverage.
Okiria also urged parents to complement government efforts by providing essential scholastic materials for their children. He said he had learnt that some pupils missed school because their exercise books had been taken to health facilities for relatives’ treatment records. He added that Hon. Ibaseret would follow up to establish whether patients were expected to provide such books or whether government should supply them while also seeking an immediate solution to the challenge.
In her closing remarks, Ibaseret called on residents across all political affiliations to embrace unity and work together for the development of Agule County. She said dwelling on political differences would only slow the area’s progress and expressed confidence that the cooperation already demonstrated by local leaders would help fulfil the commitments made to the electorate.
