Amolatar to Give Minister Balaam Lango-Style Welcome Ahead of Anti-Corruption Tour.
By Okidi Patrick Ocamoyitdyel
AMOLATAR, UGANDA – Amolatar District is preparing to accord a grand Lango-style welcome to the minister of Local Government anti-corruption envoy, Hon. Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, ahead of his expected visit on November 18.
The Deputy Resident District Commissioner (DRDC) of Amolatar, Obonyo Magwar, said he will mobilise NRM supporters, members of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), the youth and other presidential loyalists to receive Balaam with traditional music, dance and meals.
In an interview with our reporter on Tuesday Morning, DRDC Magwar described the visit as a historic moment for the district, likening it to President Yoweri Museveni’s decision to launch his previous campaign from Amolatar, where the district delivered 89.7 percent of the presidential vote.
“Amolatar considers any ambassador holding the yellow banner and speaking the language of socio-economic transformation as a friendly force that is welcome and should be welcomed,” Mr. Magwar said.
He said the district’s selection to host the anti-graft crusade curtain-raiser for Northern Uganda should be taken in good faith, noting that President Museveni remains Amolatar’s “undisputed hero.”
Mr. Magwar said receiving the President’s envoy at the peninsula presents an opportunity to galvanise unity and provide technical guidance to spur development in Amolatar.
He urged residents to welcome and cooperate with “the most popular anti-corruption ambassador of the President and the nation,” saying the crusade represents a normal administrative check aimed at aligning local service delivery with national development goals.
The Deputy RDC also said the visit could have economic benefits for the district if Balaam travels via Lake Kyoga on a ferry and makes a brief stopover at what he described as the “prestigious Centre of Uganda,” a gazetted tourist destination that would gain national and international publicity.
Mr. Magwar credited President Museveni’s affirmative action programmes for Northern Uganda, including the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the cattle restocking programme, for addressing historical challenges faced by Amolatar and the wider Lango sub-region.
According to him, the youth who have been mobilised to give Balaam a red-carpet welcome have set aside lamentations and are focusing on the hope, empowerment and value-addition opportunities that the visit is expected to bring.
While some residents were reportedly gripped by fear and uncertainty over the visit, Mr. Magwar dismissed such concerns, describing Balaam’s coming as “the old man with a hat himself visiting Amolatar but with the attire of Balaam.”
The November 18 visit is expected to draw significant attention to Amolatar, with the district positioning itself as a precursor to future presidential visits and programmes.
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