Lamwo Councilors Protest Transfer of New RDC

A section of councillors in Lamwo district is protesting the transfer of the new Resident District Commissioner-RDC, Charles Ichogor.  

Ichogor was deployed in March this year from Bukedea district where he was deputy RDC, to Lamwo district to replace James Nabinson Kidega, who was transferred to Kole district during a reshuffle by President Yoweri Museveni.

However, barely a month after he started serving in his new role, the are reports of another reshuffle where some RDCs who were dropped in March have been reinstated. The reports indicate that Ichogor, who had only worked for two weeks in Lamwo has been taken to Gulu district, while Osborn Oceng, who was transferred from Amuru to Arua district, has been transferred to Lamwo to replace Ichogor. 

But some leaders are protesting the latest reshuffle. Moses Billi, the LC III councillor representing Nyimur Sub-county says the new RDC has already helped them to recover 10 animals that were stolen by South Sudan armed men because of his good coordination skills with leaders in South Sudan.

Billi says Ichogor had started meeting the leaders of South Sudan to stop such armed attacks. The second meeting he has scheduled with the commissioner of Magwi County was scheduled to take place yesterday May 16 but was postponed due to the transfer.

//Cue in; “Ikom kobo…

Cue out…otii ki Lamwo.”//

James Ochola, the speaker of Lamwo district says the RDC also caused the arrest of officials working at the refugee settlement camp who allegedly stole 1.2 billion Shillings within the short period of time he has spent in the district.   

//Cue in; “He organised the meeting…

Cue out…within two weeks.”//  

Ochola says a lot of money has always been sent to the district to transform the lives of the locals under the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund- NUSAF, and Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP), but the results are not reflected in the intended beneficiaries.  

Ochola says they think the immediate transfer of the RDC is a planned move by some individuals who want to swindle the project monies sent to the district. 

//Cue in; “We discovered that…

Cue out…the government project.”//  

On Saturday, Lamwo district councillors and lower local council from Padibe Town Council, opinion leaders, and some community members from Palabek met to devise ways of stopping the transfer.

Ochola says they are intending to petition the Office of the President to table their complaint because they believe that transferring the RDC now is equivalent to denying the district the opportunity to reap the benefits of such multi-million projects in the district.  

//Cue in; “Now the petition…

Cue out …the intended plan is.”//     

Sisto Oyet, the chairperson of the district acknowledged that some leaders of the district were unhappy with the abrupt transfer of the new RDC.  Oyet says although Ichogor started working well, the district leaders don’t have the power to choose but they will work with whoever is brought to the district.  

//Cue in; “Anyway there are…

Cue out…kicwalo itwa.”//