Purporting to act in the interest of the broader Acholi community both in Uganda and Diaspora, Aruu County MP Friday morning came up with a statement announcing expulsion of five MPs from the membership of Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG). They are Beatrice Anywar (Kitgum Municipality), Edward Otto Makmot (Agago), Catherine Lamwaka (Omollo district woman MP), Molly Lanyero (Lamwo woman MP) and Margaret Odwa (Woman MP Kitgum).
In a statement, whose authenticity he confirmed to us via telephone link, Otto co-signed with Kilak County MP Gilbert Oulanyah who is the General Secretary of AGP. We were unable to get comment from APG Chairman Ogenga Latigo. The five MPs are accused of betraying the Acholi people by voting yes to the Magyezi bill last month, a move Otto likens to institutionalizing life presidency in Uganda. The duo, however, spared the ministers who happen to be APG members on grounds that they are bound by the doctrine of cabinet collective responsibility. They also saluted Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah for keeping away from the Magyezi bill chaos which Otto says would further have humiliated the Acholis and the entire Luo community. They also exonerated northern region youth MP Oscar Otema and PWD representative William Nokrach on grounds their constituencies are too vast beyond just Acholi sub region.
ANYWAR SPEAKS OUT: But when reached via telephone link, Anywar was defiant and unrepentant. She told Mulengera news that Otto was acting ultra-vires because he is a mere member with no power to suspend or expel any member from APG. “Is he the chair? Let him waste his energy as usual. As for me I know what I’m doing,” Anywar said. She added that: “Otto is just day dreaming [because] it’s APG that needs us [more than we need it].” She further explained that APG has members from different political persuasions making it impossible to arrive at consensus on a matter so controversial like the Magyezi bill. “It would be naïve for anyone to think that they would all advance one political interest or ideology,” she said adding that being hostile to President Museveni as APG would deprive the local Acholi community of social services as its unlikely for those hostile to him to eat Museveni’s political bread. She added the politics based on “elect me to fight the war because they hate us” must stop in Acholi and faulted colleagues like Otto for riding on hatred against the Bantu-dominated NRM government to keep getting elected.
“We shouldn’t use the Acholi people to remain in positions for salaries. We must lobby to bring development,” said Anywar making an argument similar to what the late Dr. Stephen Mallinga said while justifying his departure from UPC to join Museveni’s NRM. Even when today so many years later Pallisa remains as poor as it were, Dr. Mallinga died maintaining that defecting to NRM was the only way he would bring development to his people in Pallisa. Anywar said instead of crying over spilt milk (Magyezi bill already passed), APG should call its members to discuss how they can make use of Museveni who appears to be still deeply entrenched in power. She says APG should be reflecting on how to send as many Acholi children as they can abroad to study Petroleum Science & Engineering abroad to catch up with other tribes that are already benefitting and getting ready to cash in on the oil money. She says that, for his development-oriented approach, Gulu district chairman Mapenduzi “is nationally celebrated every year” and APG members should be aspiring to emulate him and serve their people better.
We also asked her about claims by some APG members that she has personally benefited from President Museveni by getting a scholarship for her son to undertake a pilot course abroad in the American University as opposed to lobbying for the entire Acholi community. This is what she said: “I pay fees for my children studying abroad. Others invest in other things [but] mine is education. My loans are for school fees. Ask those others also what their investments are.” Anywar, who lives in a posh residence in Kyambogo near Mrs. Omony Ojok’s house, further said it’s an insult for someone like her who has been earning good salary as MP for 11 years now not to be able to sponsor her child’s education in any of the best Universities abroad.
