The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, has rebuked Toroma County MP, Hon. Joseph Koluo, for attempting to “hijack” the Ngariam Memorial Technical School and divert it to his constituency.
During a parliamentary session, Hon. Koluo urged the Speaker and the Prime Minister to intervene and direct the school to Toroma, claiming his county had the largest population and lacked such an institution. He further alleged that the district council had rejected the establishment of the school in Ngariam.
However, the report indicates that while a few councilors attempted to transfer the school to Toroma, only seven supported the move. A significant majority of 23 councilors opposed the transfer, confirming Ngariam as the preferred location.
Deputy Speaker Tayebwa dismissed Hon. Koluo’s argument, urging him to lobby for development in his own county rather than “grabbing” what did not belong to him. Tayebwa advised Koluo to collaborate with the Ngariam Legislature and State Minister for Education, Peter Ogwang, to explore alternative avenues for development in Toroma.
Meanwhile, addressing the parliamentary session on December 19, 2024, Hon. Peter Ogwang emphasized that the memorial school was a pledge by President Museveni to the people of Ngariam in remembrance of those killed by the Karamojong 20 years ago.
Ogwang warned Koluo to revise his approach and cooperate with him to bring development to Toroma. He also asserted that Hon. Koluo was seeking a technical school, not a memorial school, and therefore Ngariam was the rightful recipient.
