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President Museveni urges patience in resolving the Tororo district split dispute between Tororo County and West Budama, emphasizing the need for consensus to avoid mistakes. He also addressed delays in the Osukuru fertilizer project, attributing setbacks to corruption among local officials.

President Yoweri Museveni has once again addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the division of Tororo District, which has led to a dispute between the residents of Tororo County and those from West Budama regarding the creation of additional districts.

The President remarked, “If you see that people are not reasonable, you leave them. If you try to force matters too much, you may end up making mistakes,” a caution he said he has deliberately observed. President Museveni stated that he awaits a consensus between both parties, whose prolonged disagreements over district creation have, in his view, hampered service delivery.

These remarks were made on Saturday, November 9, 2024, during a media briefing with journalists from the Bukedi and Bugisu sub-regions at the State Lodge in Mbale City. He added that Vice-President Jessica Alupo recently informed him that both parties are approaching an agreement, suggesting they may be weary of continued disputes.

Discussing the specific concerns of the Bateso and Badama communities, he said, “The Bateso wanted a division, and when it came to that, they expressed a desire to include Tororo Municipality, as part of Tororo County, in their jurisdiction. However, the Badama opposed the split, firmly stating their intention to retain Tororo Municipality. As a farmer from Ntungamo, I decided to let them be, not wanting to impose any decisions upon them,” President Museveni explained.

Regarding the stalled $620 million fertilizer factory in Osukuru, Tororo, President Museveni attributed the setback to certain Ugandans who, he claims, misused funds by accepting bribes. According to the President, although the Chinese investor was initially progressing well, his project was compromised by some Ugandans who misappropriated funds.

Museveni further disclosed that the Chinese investor was able to identify individuals involved in the malpractice but had not collected sufficient evidence to prosecute them. “The Chinese investor was performing admirably but was unfamiliar with our people. Money was stolen from him through bribes. By the time I intervened, the investor had become disillusioned. When I inquired, he identified the culprits but had no concrete evidence to take legal action,” he elaborated.

Addressing government involvement in investments, President Museveni asserted, “We prefer minimal government intervention in commercial ventures, as the private sector often performs better. A resolution is forthcoming, as the funds and resources are in place. Even one of the initial investors has returned to the project,” he concluded.