The Oyam North aspirant on the NRM ticket, Samuel Okello Engola, has expressed his commitment to ensuring increased access to electricity for small-scale production, such as milling cereals, during his two-year tenure in parliament if elected. Okello conducted his campaign in Aleka Sub County on Thursday.
"The most pressing issue in Oyam North is the lack of power. People are eager to be connected to the grid. If elected, I plan to dedicate a significant amount of my time in parliament to work at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) offices, as people are desperately in need of power," Okello explained during a media interview at the sidelines of his rally.
He emphasized that once connected to the grid, people would be able to establish small-scale factories, particularly for grinding mills and welding plants, which would create job opportunities for the youth and increase household incomes.
"This aligns with President Museveni's goal of eradicating poverty among the 38% of the population and securing the future through socioeconomic transformation," Okello stated.
Furthermore, Okello identified access to safe and clean piped water as another urgent issue. "The former area MP, Col. Engola, had revitalized the Ngai water scheme. My focus will be on making additional efforts to ensure that clean water reaches the population in other sub-counties for domestic use," he affirmed.
He urged voters to support his candidacy, assuring them that he is prepared to continue the plans of the former legislator. "I understand the aspirations he had for you, and I am committed to fulfilling them," Okello appealed to the voters.
Okello Engola added, "Come and support me in replacing Col. Engola. The five years were given to the NRM party, and we cannot afford to lose them."
Hon. Denis Hamson Obua, the Chief Government Whip, who has been actively campaigning for the NRM candidate in the area, expressed optimism about the ongoing campaigns. "Everything is going well in the campaigns. Our candidate is strong, and we believe he will emerge victorious," Hon. Obua remarked.
He assured the public that concerns raised during the campaign, such as poor road conditions, particularly feeder roads, would be addressed to facilitate the smooth transportation of agricultural products to nearby towns for better market access.
Hon. Obua also highlighted that the government has allocated one billion shillings to each district, including Oyam, in the upcoming financial year to support development initiatives. Additionally, flagship programs aimed at increasing household incomes, such as the Parish Development Model, where each parish SACCO will receive 100 million shillings for agricultural production, and the Emyooga program for 18 groups with specialized skills, have been implemented.
As the campaign enters its final stage, with only five days remaining to sway voters, President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM party National Chairman, is expected to join the campaign trail on Tuesday, the 4th of next week, ahead of the polling day on Thursday, the 6th.