OTUKE DISTRICT – In a direct, hands-on assault on poverty, Otuke East Constituency Member of Parliament, Hon. Julius Acon Bua, is betting on goats, seeds, and clean water to transform the economic fortunes of his people. His multi-pronged empowerment initiative, which saw another 200 goats distributed to 18 community groups last weekend, is founded on a simple belief: sustainable assets, not handouts, are the key to unlocking prosperity.
Speaking to the media, Acon framed his interventions as a fundamental duty. “Distributing goats, sheep, seeds, and drilling boreholes are the only ways I can help my people of Otuke East to combat poverty and boost household income,” the MP stated emphatically. “It’s about giving them the tools to build their own wealth.”
The scale of the challenge is underscored by a 2024 UBOS survey, which places Otuke District’s poverty rating at 25 per cent of its total population of approximately 481,200. Acon’s strategy directly targets this statistic by focusing on assets that reproduce and provide long-term dividends.
The recent distribution has sparked palpable hope across the constituency. In Omwonylee Parish, Ogor sub-county, Godfrey Moro, Chairperson of the Bol Pe Ipar Group, received 29 goats. “We are hopeful they will multiply, and each member will benefit from sharing them,” he said, outlining a clear path to shared prosperity.
For Rabbeca Awor, a member of the Kony Wa Wunu group in Aler village, the MP’s work is a “sacrifice for his people.” She believes the poverty-fighting initiatives are life-changing. This sentiment is echoed by David Alir, the group’s chairperson, who directly links the 50 goats they received to children’s education. “This is helping us to pay school fees for our children,” Alir said, adding a political endorsement: “He is serving the interests of the people.”
The success stories are already multiplying. Patrick Acuma, secretary of the Nen Idiro Village Savings and Loans group, reported that 15 sheep they received earlier have now grown to 25. “The group members are hopeful they will continue to multiply, which will help us to boost household income and fight poverty among ourselves,” Acuma explained.
Acon’s vision extends beyond animal husbandry. He has prioritized water security, a critical foundation for health and agriculture, with over 120 boreholes drilled across Otuke East Constituency to date. Complementary distributions of crop seeds and hand hoes further equip constituents for productive farming.
The MP used the platform to issue a broader challenge to leadership. He appealed to other leaders to “always prioritise serving the interests of their people than personal gains,” calling for a “collective effort by leaders to lead the fight against poverty among their communities.”
By combining tangible asset-based support with infrastructure development and a philosophy of servant leadership, Hon. Julius Acon Bua is crafting a grassroots development model in Otuke East. The measure of its success will be in the growing herds, the harvested fields, and the rising household incomes of his constituents in the years to come.
