A section of the Acholi community, along with the broader northern region, has come out in support of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, following his recent statement on December 31, 2024, during his New Year message.
On Monday, January 6, 2024, during a radio talk show on SpeakFM, Gulu’s Deputy RDC, Mr. Cosmas James Okidi, presented and elaborated on examples and testimonies shared by community members during a recent baraza.
These testimonies highlighted the increasing incidents of theft in villages, including the theft of goats, cattle, pigs, and chickens.
The community members expressed their frustration with police and court systems granting bail and bond to notorious criminals. In response, Deputy RDC Okidi advised the community to ensure they have strong evidence when following up on cases to speed up the legal process.
Over ten phone calls were registered during the talk show, all expressing agreement with the President’s stance. Many argued that the directive would help curb theft in villages.
However, some raised concerns about whether the implementers of the directive—particularly the police and the court system—would be able to follow through, citing the 24-hour rule for granting bail. Deputy RDC Okidi responded to these concerns, stating that two days are sufficient for the police to conclude investigations, given the small size of villages and the fact that most thieves are local residents, with others acting as agents for external criminals.
Many people commended the President’s position, dismissing opposition critics as enemies of progress and development.
“The government, under the leadership of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, is committed to fighting poverty at the household level by providing wealth creation initiatives such as PDM, Emyooga, UWEP, Youth Livelihood, Grow Project, and many others. However, the thieves are hindering this positive progress, and therefore, they must be dealt with decisively, which includes not granting them bail and bond,” Gulu’s Deputy RDC Cosmas Okidi emphasized.
“As the office of the RDC in Gulu District, we will ensure that this move is implemented effectively. Those who fail to heed our call will be dealt with accordingly,” he added. “The good thing is that we have an able and energetic DPC and OCCID who are dedicated to providing service delivery to our people. Moreover, we maintain good working relationships with all district stakeholders.”
The Office of the Gulu RDC is set to resume community barazas to raise awareness about government programs, security issues, and the recent presidential address, as well as to gather feedback on the services provided by the government, NGOs, CBOs, and local investors.
