The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) leader Joseph Kabuleta Kizza has advised the people of Acholi Sub-region to vote out the National Resistance Movement if they want to benefit from their natural resources.
Over a decade ago, oil was discovered in Nwoya district in the Acholi by a French oil and gas company- Total SA.The discovery came in the aftermath of seismic studies around the Murchison falls area by its Ugandan operations, Total Exploration and Production (Total E&P) in September 2012 and up to date, the East African country is yet to start its exploration.
Other districts in the Sub-region include Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Lamwo, Pader and Omoro.
Mr Kabuleta made the discretion during a meeting with the local leaders and residents of Acholi Sub-region on Monday.
the former presidential candidate, who is currently on nationwide sensitization campaign premised on protecting Uganda’s national deposits that could be used by citizens to elleviate themselves from poverty rallied the Acholi locals to advocate for change of government if they want to fully enjoy the natural resources in their area.
“In order to fight cattle rustling and land grabbing, we must change government because as long as this current establishment is still in power, nothing is going to change,” Kabuleta said.
The politician further claimed that government has deliberately denied the local people in Acholi their full rights of owning land by refusing to give them land titles.
However, he advised the locals not to lower the guard, saying they should stand up and fight for what rightly belongs to them.
“Nowdays its very hard to get a land title. Government is doing it deliberately not to give you titles that show ownership but I call upon you to be cautious against those people who want/ are stealing your wealth. Fight for your cattle, land and other resources. Show those people that they can’t take them because there are some serious repercussions if they do so,” he said.
Adding, “Now if you’re born in this land, all the wealth that God invested in it, you’re supposed to have a stake and nobody is going to give you the stake by sitting back and hopping. Its going to be given to you by standing up and taking a strong claim on it and making sure that people who come to steal those resources are not given an inch of what is not theirs.
The former journalist also noted that in case business people are taking the land for investment, the indigenous people should be given a share capital and become shareholders in whatever establishment is put in place so that they benefit from their natural wealth.