Kampala.
By Lango Broadcasting Service (LBS) Radio Editorial.
The Lango Parliamentary Group (LPG), a loose association that brings together all the legislators from Lango Sub region will hold election for its executive member’s on the 20th August 2020.
Kyoga County Member of Parliament Moses Junior Okot Bitek confirmed to Lango Broadcasting Service Thursday morning that members agreed to have the election on the 20th of August 2021 in Kampala .
The election which will he held by secret ballot will seek to fill following positions : Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, General Secretary,Treasurer,Sec for information and Publicity.
For three months now since the inauguration and swearing-in of Members of the 11th Parliament in May, the group has no established leadership in place.
LPG has a total of 32 Members of Parliament including 21 directly elected members of Parliament, 10 District Woman representatives and 1 Youth Member of Parliament representing Northern Uganda who hails from Kole District.
In the remaining half of the 10th Parliament the group was chaired by Oyam County South Member of Parliament Betty Amongi Akena after taking over from Dokolo South’s MP Felix Okot Ogong.
The constitution of Lango Parliamentary Group provides for election of the executive members where ExCom holds office for a period not exceeding two and half years before another election is held.
One District Woman Member of Parliament who asked not to be named for this story, told Lango Broadcasting Service (LBS) that the group should have held its election this week, but postponed it to wait for the return of one its member, the Minister of state for Sports Denis Hamson Obua who is currently in Tokyo Japan at the World Olympics games.
According to the MP, they want at least all their members to be present for the election in order to foster cohesion in group
In the previous years, the group was sucked into intrigue and internal fight amongst its members something political commentators say was unnecessary and unproductive.
Senior Political Strategist and former Lira University Don Denis Olodi, says for the group to contribute to the socio economic development of Lango, its members must remain focused and firmly united to tackle issues that affect the sub-region.
According to Olodi, Uganda is a multi-tribal society and all tribes in Uganda have their unique needs and aspirations and it’s important for the legislators to recognize that they hail from Lango and that when it comes to issues of development of the sub-region, they should drop away they political affiliations and rather struggle to propel development in the Lango as a team.
He also suggested for establishment of Lango Leaders Forum which would bring together leaders from all categories including MPs, District Chairpersons, City and Municipality Mayors, Academia, Civil Society, Religious Leaders and Mayors.
Olodi adds that the MPs would engage this different categories of leaders to get their opinions but also use them to aid in follow up of how resources appropriated by Parliament are being effectively and efficiently utilized.
