Pallisa, Uganda | Pallisa District Woman MP Hon. Catherine Achola has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the ongoing rehabilitation of Olok Road, saying the improved road is expected to ease transport challenges, lower travel costs, and improve access to essential services for residents.
During an inspection of the project in Olok Sub-county on Friday, Achola said the expanded road meets the expected standard and reflects value for the public funds invested.
She explained that oversight of government projects is one of the core responsibilities of Members of Parliament to ensure quality service delivery, monitor the use of public resources, and address concerns raised by communities.
Achola noted that for years, residents of Olok have struggled to access Pallisa Town due to the poor state of the road, forcing transport operators to charge higher fares.
She said a motorcycle trip from Olok to Pallisa, where residents seek healthcare and purchase goods, previously cost about UGX 3,000 but later doubled to UGX 6,000 because of deteriorating road conditions and rising fuel prices. According to the legislator, the improved road is expected to bring transport costs down once completed.
The chairperson of boda boda operators at Agule Stage in Pallisa Town, Denis Arikod, said riders have not deliberately increased fares but have been compelled to do so by soaring fuel prices and the excessive maintenance costs caused by the damaged road.
He explained that motorcycles operating on the route suffer frequent mechanical breakdowns, with brake pads often requiring replacement every week. Arikod observed that while passengers pay only UGX 3,000 to travel the 25-kilometre tarmac road from Pallisa to Tirinyi, they have been paying as much as UGX 7,000 for the much shorter eight-kilometre journey to Olok because of the poor road condition. He added that a better road would also reduce the risk of road crashes.
Achola appealed to residents to safeguard the newly rehabilitated road by avoiding activities that could damage it, including ploughing along the road reserve and blocking drainage channels, which accelerate erosion and shorten the lifespan of the infrastructure.
She also asked Pallisa District Engineer Michael Ongwara to explore the possibility of extending the road to the lakeshore so that the entire Rarak community can benefit from improved connectivity.
Turning to education, Achola expressed concern over the district’s high school dropout rate, describing it as a major setback to development.
Drawing from her background as a teacher, she said it was painful to learn that Pallisa remains among the districts with the highest number of learners leaving school before completing primary education. She noted that fewer than 10% of children who enrol in Primary One complete the full primary cycle.
The legislator urged parents to prioritise their children’s education, saying school administrators have consistently raised concerns about absenteeism, which continues to undermine effective syllabus coverage and learning outcomes.
Meanwhile, James Peter Ekanya, the Akisim Dun County Coordinator for Team Achola, appealed to residents to give newly elected leaders adequate time to implement their programmes before judging their performance.
He said while communities naturally have high expectations of their Members of Parliament, sustainable development requires patience and cooperation between leaders and the people they serve.