By Str8talk Chronicle political correspondant, Montreal, Canada, December 06, 2009

Love or loathe him, Robert Olet Egwea, the NRM parliamentary candidate for Kole County in Apac District, goes down the history books as the first Ugandan parliamentary candidate to hold a live Online Town Hall Meeting, not to shout campaign slogans or party mantra, but to strictly answer questions of national interests.

Indeed, Candidate Egwea proved that in his new career aspirations, he is able to catch a bullet instead of dodging it.

At 10 minutes to o7:00 pm GMT (London), 02:00 pm EST (Ottawa/Montreal) and 01:00 pm CST (Dallas), moderator Peter-Rhaina Gwokto based in Ottawa, Canada started the minute by minute count-down to the meeting. At 2 minutes to the hour, the moderator instructed the Town Hall to start entering questions.

Patriotic ordinary Ugandans across the world like Isaac Balamu, Otoa Tony Jr, Oryema Johnson and a host of many others wasted no time lobbing a salvo of questions to Robert Egwea.

In 50 minutes which was suddenly cut off by an error in the Moderator’s setup just as the discussion heated up, Candidate Egwea dealt with questions no Ugandan hears or has ever heard at a political campaign. Political campaigns in Uganda often give the candidates all the time there is to deliver their messages but never for the audience to ask the candidates questions.

“What motivates you to run as MP for Kole County in the next parliament? ”

“On your internet Face Book, you state that people’s mindsets needed to change in order to eliminate corruption and nepotism. When you get to parliament, how do you plan to change people’s mindset and why do you think you will resist temptations to which all of Uganda’s current politicians have been gullible?”

“You reiterated education. Why has the current education system in Uganda failed to produce skilled employees and employers?”

“Don’t you think it would have been better for you to join politics through another political party than through a party that has stalled democracy and equitable regional distribution of wealth for the last 24 years?”

“Robert, let’s be realistic. You know that NRM is the godfather of corruption and nepotism. Convince us it isn’t.”

“UPE and USE were never thought through before they were cast on the Ugandan population. Do you agree that the program has failed to deliver? Are you going to revive this already dead program or will you develop a new policy approach to implementing UPE/USE?”

“Why did you leave the socialist party for a party that talks socialism but practices capitalism?”

“Should Museveni rule for life as he has already made the country know? If yes, how does your NRM party justify his continuity amidst 24 years of documented history of scandals, corruption, and human rights abuses?”

“There have been more committees to probe corruption in Uganda starting from the junk choppers to CHOGM. Do you think these committees are a waste? How do we deal with this situation when the people involved walk scotch-free and still run the country?”

“We are seeing UPC divided and falling apart because of old wounds between Acholi and Langi. We have also seen a family-line digging in to make UPC a family affair. Do you think you can reconcile Acholi and Langi better than Olara Otunnu so that life goes on without revisiting the past when the going gets tough for a candidate?”

“A point of clarification. Who are these individuals and could the president be one of them?”

“You say opposition elements are misappropriating funds. Can you please elaborate on how the opposition elements are misappropriating funds they do not have access to? Or, are you referring to opposition elements within the NRM which Ugandans do not know of?”

“Robert, for years northern MPs have tried to voice the plight of the people but nothing ever materialises. How will you make this happen?”

“Do you think it is fair for Ugandans based abroad to show up and run for parliament to represent a people they have not been a part of?  Robert Egwea was certainly innundated by several other questions.”

In 50 minutes of discussion, Robert Egwea was precise and succinct. From the onset, Robert Egwea declared that he was representing his political aspirations and that his views were personal and not necessarily the views held by the NRM.

Candidate Robert Egwea, true to his convictions, answered every question without ducking and always using the opportunity to back his responses with the reality on the ground.

Robert Egwea proved how knowledgeable he is of the political, economic and social developments in Uganda. He also proved he understood the people of Kole County not simply by being a son of the soil but that he understood the neglect they have faced from parliamentary representatives for many years.

For Robert Egwea, it is time for Ugandans and the people of Kole County specifically to make amends and acknowledge that there is always a time for change. He emphasized that the time is now.

Robert Egwea stated that he strongly believed in the collective efforts of both government and the opposition to develop Uganda and to help Ugandans realize prosperity for all.

Str8talk Chronicles looks forward to receiving other candidates who would want to present their political platforms to Ugandans from all walks of life and wherever they may live. Str8talk Chronicle will shortly install the full version of the Live Chat program in order to eliminate the inconvenience of trial copies. Str8talk Chronicle promises to integrate live audio and video discussions in its future Online Town Hall meetings and encourages Ugandans to subscribe to  Skype. There is no doubt that never in Uganda’s political history has a candidate for president or Member of Parliament had to answer a series of relevant and challenging questions for a political office as Robert Egwea did. Str8talk wishes to thank all participants and looks forward to the next improved Online Town Hall Meeting.

For a full and complete pdf transcript of the Online Town Hall Meeting certified and approved by Robert Egwea, submit an order request to transcripts@str8talkchronicle.com. All transcripts are US $30.

Northern Ugandan journalists have launched an on-line newspaper called The Nile Times. The launch of this sister paper also marks the end of Lango Web as a source of news on Northern Uganda. Lango Web will gradually be transformed into a Lango portal.

By Bonney Odongo
In Gulu

Prescovia Acayo (in green) poses with her children. Photo by Bonny Odongo

“I am requesting any person, organization or even the government to help me with these children especially their education, health, feeding and house rent because the business am doing gives me a profit of only 2 dollars per day,” Prescovia Acayo

Visibly malnourished children waved excitedly at us as we rode through the dusty potholed road to Lukung, a village located just few kilometres from Gulu town for an interview with a child mother.

As we sneaked through the potholed tyre path, some jogged after us probably animated at seeing a motor machine they hadn’t seen in many years of their life in the bush.

The sight of decrepit mud and wattle houses surrounded by overgrown lawn welcomed us to Lukung Village where Proscovia Acayo, a former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) abductee lives.

Though she is among thousands of the northern children who suffered the wrath of the LRA’s twenty year old insurgency, Acayo, could affords a warm welcome for me. Her children were even much expectant seeing a visitor in their home.

In the meantime I get lost in the thought, “its lunch time actually 2pm” before reality hits me hard that Acayo’s children, her young brothers and sisters were actually going without lunch. No sign of fire could be noted but the children remained calm as if they were aware of their fates.

The year was 1995 when Joseph Kony’s rebel LRA armed with machetes, axe and all sorts of ugly weapons stormed Lacekocot Primary School, Atanga sub County in Pader district abducting many pupils and killed dozens in cold blood.

Among those killed was a fourteen year old Nokrac David, Acayo’s brother who was studying with her in the same school. According to her, the ill fated boy was shot on sight by the rebels while she was abducted alive.

For Acayo, she thought luck was on her side to be taken alive but her luck ran out on their arrival at the LRA base in Southern Sudan when she was given as wife to one of the fighters she knew only as Ayo.

Just like other young girls who fell victims to LRA lusts, Acayo recalled that she was handed over to Ayo one of the rebel combatants by Okot Odhiambo and Odomi both LRA commanders in the presence of many top brass in the rebel ranks and abductees.

Narrating her ordeal amidst tears and sorbs, Acayo noted that at the tender age of 11, Ayo attempted several times to have sex with her but was practically impossible as she was too young for penetration.     

“As a wife, Ayo tried several times to force me into sex but his efforts were frustrated by his failure to penetrate me as I was still too young. I had a lot of painful feelings and hated myself,” Acayo recalled as tears rolled down her chicks.

After days of disappointing failures to have sex with Acayo, Ayo decided to hand her back to his top commanders pending another decision.

Two years down the road, in 1997 at the age of 13, after attaining some maturity, the little girl was in another trouble, she was again given as a fourth wife to another LRA officer, Lt. Okwera Aginya who had performed very well in the battle field and an abduction exercise that showed many women and children abducted.

“As women even during times of pregnancy, we engaged in all the activities that took place in the bush. We survive on wild fruits and leaves, we fought and ran through hostile terrain of southern Sudan because we were told that if you don’t fight then you will die,” says Acayo.

Acayo’s forced husband Okwera with whom she had three children died in 2003 at Owiny-Kibul during a shootout between LRA rebels and SPLA forces.

Her father was brutally murdered at Lacekocot, Atanga Sub County in Pader district in 1997 the same year she was given as a reward to Okwera.

Trying hard to recompose herself, Acayo painfully explained that, “with me in the hands of rebels, our father and my elder brother killed by the same rebels I was told our mother kept crying until she died of heart ach in 1998 leaving five helpless orphans.” 

Just like many other war victims and child mothers who are currently suffering languishing in the north after being poorly resettled, the 26-year-old mother now sees life at home as a continuation of the suffering she had in the bush.

Acayo who escaped from the bush with four others in 2004 and manoeuvred through bushes and thickets until she reached home have got nine children to feed, dress and educate; four her’s and five left by her late parents.

On her return from the bush, Acayo was offered training skills on Tie and Dye by the World Vision, but the knowledge seems to be of no use to her as she lacks capital to buy materials and chemical to start the work.

Currently she is a charcoal vendor at Cuk Pa Atuku and it is on this retail business that this young mother and the family survives.  

“I am requesting any person, organization or even the government to help me with these children especially their education, health, feeding and house rent because the business am doing gives me a profit of only 2 dollars per day,” she begged.

The weary faces of Acayo’s siblings and dependants sent a heart touching signal to me that a number of child headed families out there are in urgent need for intervention.  

Day in and day out these people are going without food and their problem seems to be in isolation without any body bothered.

However Acayo has got her hope rejuvenated by the Concerned Parents Association (CPA) a local charity helping war affected children to cope up psychologically with financial backing from Northern Uganda Rehabilitation Program (NUREP).

The Executive Director CPA, Godfrey Okello said the organization is encouraging former LRA abductees and child mothers form groups through which they can be helped to cope up psychologically.

 “With funding from NUREP, CPA has been able to organize these child mothers and child headed families in groups through which they can be helped. Some of them were able to go through vocational trainings,” he said.

But still this may not be enough, the government and leaders should as a matter of urgency institute a follow up programme to trace and see how these victims are living.  

A clear fact on the ground is that, some of the orphaned victims are homeless as their lands have been grabbed off by elderly survivors. This could be a reason why Acayo, her children together with five of her sisters and brothers found themselves squeezed in a rented one roomed hut at Lukung village near Gulu Municipality.

But this is Proscovia Acayo looking for your help.
To reach her call Bonney Odongo on: +256782578779
E-mail: bnfcodongo@yahoo.co.uk

She is bright, decent, down-to-earth, traditional, god-fearing and stunning. Miss Akello-Opio who prefers to call herself ‘Imat’ is representing Uganda on the American catwalk. Just look at her picture (below) … Need we say more?

Imat Akello-Opio, Miss Africa USA 2008 Contestant

Her favourite dish is ‘malakwang’ and her role model is her grandmother “Atat Pulu” who stood up for what she believed in and was sent to jail for selling local beer to raise money for the model’s mother to go to school at a time when schooling for girls was overlooked.

Miss Akello-Opio says her favourite books are the bible and other spiritual books because they keep her grounded and provide her with wisdom and knowledge. She also reads autobiographies and finance books. Click here for more on this Lango beauty, thanks to Ugapulse.com