Political tensions are rising in Serere District as Joseph Linos Opio, the Secretary for Finance in the district, threatens to petition Speaker of Parliament Anita Among over what he describes as a failure by Members of Parliament (MPs) to deliver on key promises.
Opio accuses MPs of neglecting urgent development projects, including the establishment of a district hospital, the completion of ferry docks, and the finalization of a surgical ward at Serere Health Centre IV.
Opio, who is vocal about service delivery issues in the district, stated that he is in the final stages of drafting a formal petition outlining these concerns.
His dissatisfaction primarily targets Serere County MP Emmanuel Omoding, whom he accuses of failing to push for the completion of the surgical ward despite being a member of the Budget Committee.
Serere District, with an estimated population of 285,903 according to the 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) census, lacks a district hospital.
This absence has placed immense pressure on Serere Health Centre IV, which is overwhelmed by patients, including those traveling long distances from neighboring districts such as Buyende and Kaberamaido.
“We get patients from Busoga, all crossing the lake to come and get treatment in Serere,” Opio lamented.
“If we got a district hospital, we would have enough manpower and resources to handle the large number of patients.”
Despite calls from local leaders and residents, funding for the district hospital has not been prioritized.
Opio insists that the area MPs have failed to lobby for this crucial health facility, leaving residents to struggle with inadequate medical care.
Another contentious issue is the stalled completion of the surgical ward at Serere Health Centre IV.
According to Opio, the ward requires only $3 million to be fully completed.
During the Serere County by-election in 2023, MP Omoding campaigned on a promise to advocate for the surgical ward’s completion through the Ministry of Health or his external partners.
However, over a year later, no progress has been made, and Opio believes Omoding has abandoned his pledge.
“He is a member of the Budget Committee, the right person to push for resources, but at the time they were sitting, he was out of the country,” Opio said.
“If some of them are not up to the task, let them give way for those of us who know what to do to help our people.”
Another major concern in Opio’s petition is the failure to complete ferry docks at Kagwara, Buyende, and Kaberamaido.
These docks were meant to facilitate the commissioning of ferries that would improve water transport and trade in the region but have remained unfinished due to the government’s failure to pay the construction company.
However, the company responsible for their construction has not been paid, leading to a halt in work.
“The ferries were procured, but they remain uncommissioned because the docking stations are incomplete,” Opio explained.
“This has left traders, farmers, and passengers in limbo, forcing them to rely on expensive and sometimes unsafe private boats.”
The ferries, which were procured to ease movement across Lake Kyoga, have not been commissioned because of the incomplete docking infrastructure.
Residents who depend on the lake for trade and transportation have been left stranded, forcing them to rely on unsafe and expensive private boats.
“It is disappointing that such a critical project has stalled due to non-payment of the contractor. Our MPs should have taken this up in Parliament, but they have remained silent,” Opio fumed.
The stalled ferry project was expected to improve connectivity across Lake Kyoga, boosting trade and economic activities.
However, with no clear timeline for the project’s completion, residents remain stranded.
While Opio criticized MP Omoding’s performance, he defended Pingire County MP Fred Opolot, whom he credited for lobbying for the elevation of Pingire Health Centre III to Health Centre IV.
However, he noted that the Ministry of Health has yet to officially approve the upgrade.
“Just yesterday, we had a District Executive Committee meeting with Ministry of Water officials, and because of Hon. Opolot’s lobbying, we are getting two boreholes, both of which will be taken to Pingire,” Opio said.
He also acknowledged the efforts of Kasilo County MP Elijah Okupa, stating that he has been instrumental in pushing for development projects in the Teso sub-region.
“Okupa is very committed to Teso,” Opio noted.
“He attended the National Development Plan (NDP4) meeting and pushed for the elevation of Soroti Flying School into an airport, the refurbishment and funding of Igola Serere, and the inclusion of the Soroti-Amuria-Abim road in the government’s five-year development plan.”
Furthermore, Opio pointed out that Serere has secured $134 million for the tarmacking of the Kumi-Kagwara road, thanks to lobbying efforts by local leaders like Okupa, Minister Adoa and MP Fred Opolot.
Opio has emphasized the need for a unified approach among Serere’s MPs to achieve substantial progress.
He urged them to work closely with State Minister for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa, to ensure that the district gets its fair share of government funding.
“A minister cannot stand on the floor of Parliament to raise a matter of national importance,” Opio explained.
“That is why we need our MPs to be the voice of Serere and push for urgent development projects.”
Efforts to get a comment from MP Emmanuel Omoding proved futile, as his known phone number went unaccessible.
But early on Wednesday evening when reached via WhatsApp, he had responded by promising to call back on Thursday.
“I will call you tomorrow, just heading to Mbale.” However, by the time of publication, he had not followed up.
MP Fred Opolot, on the other hand, defended his record, stating that he has lobbied for multiple projects, including: the upgrade of Pingire Health Centre III to Health Centre IV, the takeover of community schools by the government and other community-driven development initiatives
“I have lobbied for several projects, including the upgrade of Pingire Health Centre III, the takeover of community schools by the government, and other community-driven initiatives,” Opolot said.
“I will continue to support and lobby for the people of Serere and Teso.”
“I have done my best to serve the people of Serere,” Opolot said. “I will continue to support and lobby for my constituents.”
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