Lango Web

Won Nyaci Attends Funeral

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:31:00 +0000

Dear Editor

Sunday 20th 03 2011 The Won Nyaci attended the burial of my grand mom Imat Yedobica Akedo daughter of late Yamo Okutto Adoko. She passed away at our home in Loro aged 103 years. May her soul rest in peace.

The Won Nyaci attended in his brand new Pajero, a present from H E YK Museveni-thanks to him. Seeing his car parked among the others spotting an ordinary registration number got me thinking. This is no ordinary Lango here.

I have seen fairly ordinary Ugandans with customised numbers and I thought couldn't we have the Won Nyaci's car carrying something more unique and easily identifiiable with his realm, like the Lango Emblem. Everyone seeing the Amuka riding the front and rear bumbers would definately know whom they are meeting or passing and would accord him the neccessary curtesy.

Thank you

Nelson Fred Ogwok

Counterfeit goods flood Uganda's market

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:25:00 +0000

Police have expressed concern over the increasedinfiltration of counterfeit products in the country.

Police say that fake cement resembling Bamburi cement in Kenya is suspected tohave found market in Uganda.

However police say that other fake products do not come from abroad are butlocally produced here in Uganda.

Police is warning that it is criminal to deal in counterfeit or dealing inpirated products knowingly.

Meanwhile, the manufacturers of HP products such as cartridges, ink, toner,printers and computers have fielded a fight against counterfeiting and piratingtheir products.

Using the media in every country worldwide HP Company explains the economicdangers of counterfeits and piracy.

They (HP) say in hardly 2 years they have arrested 2.5 million finishedcounterfeits worldwide and this has created fear that a great percentage ofbusinesses globally are operating on counterfeit and pirated products.

Barlegi Residents Give Land to M7 for PGB

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:33:00 +0000

By Ronald Odongo in Lira, 3 June 2009

Minister Omara Atubo, State House official Sunday Opio and local leader Paul Ojok inspect the land

(Photo: Ronald Odongo)

Residents of Barlegi in Okwang sub county Lira district have given over 600 acres of land to government for national development, a move that has left top critics tight lipped.

President Museveni got settled at Barlegi trading centre in 2004 to enabling him closely monitor UPDF operation against LRA rebels who had established their base in the area.

A team from state house led by Sandy Opio and Capt. Tom Balyejisawo ministry of defense surveyor are in Barlegi inspecting and officially receive the lands.

Opio assured locals that they would fully be compensated by the government.

Capt Tom Balyejisawo said they are going to critically verify the lands before compensating the owners.

Paul Ojok, the affected communities? chairperson requested the government to take the little piece of lands which they have offered for national development and compensate them.

?In spite of widespread propaganda that Museveni wanted to grab the lands, the communities have willingly offered the lands?, Ojok said.

Ojok in his letter to Museveni apologized for having been misled by some politicians to deny president land for security purposes.

Lands minister, Hon Daniel Omara Atubo urged the people of Otuke to always support government programmes and avoid involving politics.

He said NRM is the first government to allow communities to own land legally saying that nobody was allowed to own land constitutionally during both British and Obote?s two regimes.

Atubo hit back at bankrupt politicians who want to rule the country again to stop spreading their propaganda to Otuke people.

Barlegi PGB Boy Wanted for Defilement, Attempted Murder and Abduction

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:30:00 +0000

By Ronald Odongo in Lira 3 June 2009

Security authorities in Lira have launched exceptional search for a suspected presidential guard brigade boy attached to Barlegi state lodge in Okwang Sub County for allegedly abducting and defiling a P.6 pupil of St. Baptist in Gulu and attempting to murder her relatives.

Lt. Kisangati who is believed to be a Tanzanian national is alleged to have abducted the girl on the 4th May 2009 from her home in Gulu town and started renting for her in Barlegi trading centre.

Lira central police OC station Patrick Mawerere said police in conjunction with the army authority are jointly hunting for the PGB boy who is still at large but the girl is under their custody.

Defilement and abduction case has been registered at Gulu central police station with the SD reference 55/13/05/09, police said

Mawerere say the girl was arrested from her Barlegi trading centre by the police from Okwang outpost.

Girls father Mau Robert Morish told Lango Web that they were however attacked by a suspected army man on their way back from Barlegi to arrest the man over the weekend.

Police believe that the man is the master brain behind the attack on the two people who had gone to follow up the matter.

Mau said the man fired more 20 bullets at them and hit the right hand side of Ogwal Tony Blair who was riding a motor cycle at around ?a half past 8pm of Sunday near Apala primary school.

Northern Ugandan Journalists to Launch Paper

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:21:00 +0000

By Bonny Odongo in Lira, 2 May 2009

Robert Egwea - convened and chaired the meeting

On 28 May 2009 more than a dozen print and radio journalists from northern Uganda held a meeting at Lira Hotel and resolved to launch Uganda's fifth national paper within a year.

Currently there are four national newspapers in Uganda, all of which are published in Kampala, namely: New Vision, The Monitor, The Observer and the Red paper.

The meeting followed concerns from various northern Ugandan leaders including Hon Daniel Omara Atubo, Minister of Lands, Planning & Urban Development that Kampala based newspapers and TV do not give events in northern Uganda ample coverage.

It was convened and chaired by London-based journalist Robert Olet Egwea, who echoed Omara Atubo's recent remarks that northern Uganda was being marginalized in the national press.

Egwea traced the origin of the north's disadvantage to colonial times when the region was marginalized in education, health facilities and other infrastructures.

"There is an information vacuum in northern Uganda because our national papers do not adequately cover the north", Egwea observed, and added that it was against this background that he decided to set up Lango Web, an on-line resource that gives priority to articles generated from northern Uganda.

Egwea also said his personal conviction is that journalists from northern Uganda should come together and do something to address the situation. He proposed that an alternative media detailing TV station, newspaper, magazines and books be set up to expose the problems, needs and development of the area.

In reaction, the journalists present overwhelmingly supported the proposal and called for more training to ensure quality work once the paper is launched. They then set up a steering committee to take forward the proposal. Egwea pledged to help connect the journalists with colleagues overseas.

The meeting was attended by journalists from Mega FM, Voice of Lango FM, Rupiny, New Vision and Red Pepper. There was also a freelance journalist and a representative from Lango Cultural Foundation.? Several journalists who were not able to attend registered their apologies.

Uganda Red Cross Society Distributes Soap to Vulnerable People

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:14:00 +0000

By Geoffrey Omara in Oyam, 27 May 2009

Vulnerable people receiving bars of soap from Red Cross officials in Oyam (Photo: Geoffrey Omara)

Uganda Red Cross Society has distributed over 240 cartons of soap to vulnerable groups of people in the five sub counties of Oyam district.

The branch co-coordinator of Apac Simon Peter Anyanzo said the bars of soap will help to improve the hygiene of the vulnerable people especially in the areas of return.

"We are a humanitarian organization with a commitment to assist vulnerable people so that they have better lives", Anyanzo said.

He said that their target was to improve the heath status of over four thousand vulnerable people in Oyam district by distributing soaps to the most vulnerable persons amongst those returning from IDPs so as to improve their standard of living.

"Our target as Red Cross is to improve the lives of the most vulnerable individuals like old aged groups, people living with HIV/AIDS, OVC, child-headed families and people with disabilities (PWDS)", he added.

"Ensure that before they prepare food they wash hands with soap, after meals and after visiting toilets and also for bathing", Anyanzo stressed and warned beneficiaries to desist from selling the soap.

In all 2350 people in the Sub counties of Minakulu, Ngai , Iceme and Otwal benefited from the distribution exercise which was supported by donations from British Government under DFID VI.

NRM Takes Lango

Fri, 22 May 2009 23:12:00 +0000

By LW team, 21 May 2009

Lango NRM supporters during last year's mobilisation. (Library pictures)

Thousands of NRM party supporters across Lango region are today ecstatic following a decisive victory in the just concluded by-elections. They burst into raptures jubilation shortly after the electoral authorities declared most of their candidates winners, something that had never happened in Lango since 1986 when the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came to power.

However, Lango was not a walkover for the ruling party. In Lira a tough battle ensued between UPC and NRM especially in Adyel Division where UPC big shots camped for a week and their efforts bore fruits when Ekwang Cilodyang (UPC) was declared the winner.

In Railway Division a renowned journalist Richard Omara Awio (NRM) was declared winner as Councillor with over 768 votes while UPC candidate Ocen Odyek got 508 votes.

Reports yet to be verified by the Electoral Commission have it that 5 out 8 council seats have been taken by NRM in Lira and that in Apac all the 8 positions were taken by NRM, with Ongom Odel comfortably sweeping the Town Councillor position.

In Dokolo 7 position were reportedly swept by NRM and only one position taken by FDC although UPC sources claim that the position for Dokolo Town Council Chairman was won by a UPC candidate.

In Oyam NRM lost 2 seats and retained 11 positions. Interestingly, the son of no-nonsense Oyam Chairman Col (Rtd) Okello Engola (NRM) contested for Oyam Town Councillor position under UPC ticket and tied with an FDC candidate. Oyam Town Council reportedly went to Anyuru Omodo, UPC.

Early reports from Amolatar, an NRM stronghold, indicate that the opposition did slightly better than the ruling NRM. Although NRM got only one out of 4 positions contested for during the by-election, Amolatar district firmly remains under NRM control.

Reacting to the news about NRM victory in Lango, Sam Engola, Lango's NRM strongman and Lira District Chairperson told Lango Web that Langi have seen the truth and commitment of NRM to bring development to the region. "That's why 95% of Lango electorate voted for NRM in the just concluded by-election" Engola stressed.

"People of Lango are tired of selfish politics; they now want development and the truth but not lies", Engola added. He warned other parties against telling lies especially against President Museveni because Langi have now seen the truth, adding that Museveni shall get bigger votes in 2011.

A concerted drive to firmly establish NRM in Lango was launched in September 2008 when Minister Omara Atubo and NRM UK executive member Robert Olet Egwea inaugurated offices throughout Lango with the message of "Peace & Progress with NRM". They appealed to the Langi to embrace government programmes and shun political dooms-preachers so as to catch up with the rest of the country in terms of development.

On the by-election results, Egwea, who was recently selected to represent NRM UK & Ireland Chapter in the forthcoming NRM National Executive Council meeting said: "This is good news for the people of Lango and Uganda at large. Our people have spoken loud and clear against the politics of intrigue, lies, hatred and divisionism. We are now ready to work closely with the NRM government so as to speed up the pace of recovery from 20 years of conflict".

He also thanked all the people who campaigned hard for NRM in the region. According to NRM members on the ground, people who have been at the forefront of promoting NRM in Lango region include: Amolatar RDC Yeko Ongora Atwai, Presidential Advisor Levi Okodi Macpio, Oyam NRM Chairman Col (Rtd) Okello Engola Mac Odwogo, Apac NRM Chairman Richard Ogwang Odyero, Apac NRM Adminstrative Secretary Dennis Okello and many others.

NAADS Distributes More Seedlings to Apac Farmers

Thu, 21 May 2009 07:33:00 +0000

By Geoffrey Omara, 18 may 2009

National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) has distributed 3000 citrus seedlings to twenty farmers in Apac in a bid to boost farming in the district.

While handing over the citrus seedlings to the beneficiaries today in front of the district chambers, the district NAADS Co-odrinator Johnson Ojok said the seedlings worth 14,476,000 million shillings would cover over 20 modern farmers in the district.

He said the target beneficiaries were from Ibuje, Akokoro, Akalo, Nambieso, Apac, Chawente Aboke and Apac town council inclusively.

Ojok also said NAADS will also distribute over 1500 chicks to ten modern farmers and 2700 aquaculture to twenty modern farmers in the district.

Bank of Uganda Warns Against Counterfeit Notes

Thu, 21 May 2009 07:32:00 +0000

By Geoffery Omara in APAC 18 May 2009

The Bank of Ugnada has warned the public against the counterfeit currencies which are on circulation across the country. The northern chief note examiner Bank of Uganda Miriam Abang warned the public on 17 May while meeting members of the public at Apac boma ground.

Abang advised the public not to take the money they use on daily basis for granted and urged them to know their money and guard against counterfeit currencies. She condemned counterfeiters and urged communities to be vigilant.

She said that Bank of Uganda has launched a country wide consultation to educate the public on the differences between the Ugandan legal tenders and counterfeit currencies which are on circulation throughout Uganda.

UPC MPs Survive Arrest for Holding Rallies at Night

Wed, 20 May 2009 22:39:00 +0000

By Ronald Odongo in Lira 19 May 2009

Kole MP Ogwang Beridwogo - night campaigner?

The ongoing by-election in Lango sub region has taken a new twist with four legislators of UPC narrowly surviving arrest by police from Lira central police for allegedly holding campaign rallies in the night.

Those legislators who were to be caged by no-nonsense RRU personnel include Lira municipality Mp Jimmy Akena Obote, Apac woman MP Betty Amongi, Erute South MP John Odit and Kole MP John Ogwang Beridwogo.

They were allegedly seen addressing rallies in the parishes of Banya, Onyakedi and Ayac at around 9 pm on Monday night.

According to Jimmy Akena Obote they had gone to support their various candidates who are aspiring for different positions, adding that in the night they were only being escorted by thousands of their supporters after the rallies.

FDC Lira district spokesperson Caleb Ogwang blasted the legislators for conducting rallies past recommended time. Electoral regulations prohibit politicians from holding campaign rallies beyond 6pm.

Political rowdiness seems to be on the increase in Lango. Recently some people believed to be UPC party supporters uprooted more than 104 trees that were planted by the FDC president Rtd.Col Dr Kiza Besigye in Amac trading centre.

FDC officials were shocked only to realise the well planted trees were lying on the soil after it were mercilessly uprooted by unknown people. The move has sparkled heavily political war among different political parties in the area.