As long as the spirit of greed continues amidst the Teso elected leaders, Iteso should not expect any development.
President Museveni has done his part by appointing many Itesots in different government offices, but because of the spirit of greed that has constructed a firm foundation inside the hearts of Iteso leaders, it has failed these leaders from attracting development in the region.
Whoever President Museveni picks in the Teso region and gives a top job in his government, a single spirit of greed has invited others from one leader to another in Teso leadership.
Mr President, apart from Vice President Rtd Jessica Alupo, the rest are just nothing but doors.
When Jessica Alupo was a Minister for Education, she lobbied for Soroti University and renovations of many historical secondary schools in Teso.
Most of the Iteso people, when they are given jobs, forget where they came from. Instead of helping others come out of poverty, they instead distance themselves from the communities they once lived in.
The Teso region by now would be having many factories and infrastructure, but because of greedy leaders, they are busy building for themselves and oppressing the locals completely.
They become too arrogant to anyone’s ideas towards development. I remember how the former Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, became drunk with power, became too arrogant to anyone, issued reckless statements, behaving like a drunkard landlord moving with his land title in a drinking joint looking for someone to buy it.
Everyone remembers her statement saying, “Your Excellency, for us Teso and Karamoja, we shall not give you a protesting vote, we have development, peace, we don’t need anything.” Such a statement coming from a leader who knows very well that the President himself knows that he was still doing remaining things in Teso and Karamoja.
I would like to advise fellow Iteso and the Karimojong that the President has done midwifery; the baby is alive, but we should not allow some leaders to strangle the newborn baby. That baby is called baby peace. It is now the responsibility of the electorate to squeeze their leaders to become accountable to the community.
The writer is a senior veteran journalist.
