By Mike Rwothomio

Government officials and Alur Kingdom leaders have successfully conducted a one-day intensive sensitization meeting in Kalwang Parish, Nebbi Sub-county, Nebbi district, urging residents to embrace the ongoing World Bank-funded water project on River Nyagak while addressing grievances through peaceful channels.

The stakeholder engagement, convened by the Office of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Nebbi, brought together residents from the Pathedi and Ogamo clans of Kaluwang Chiefdom to promote peaceful co-existence with project implementers and prevent any sabotage of the multi-million-dollar initiative being implemented by Pinnacle Construction.

The meeting successfully mediated and resolved key points of conflict, including overlaps between the project site and cultural sacred sites, as well as compensation claims, paving the way for smooth implementation of the project.

Alur Kingdom Prime Minister Prince Lawrence Opar Angala address the gathering.

Participants included Alur Kingdom officials, district leaders, Ministry of Water and Environment representatives, National Forestry Authority (NFA) officials, and community members from Kalwang Parish, who committed to finding a lasting solution through dialogue and preventing further escalation.

Ronald Oweki Okumu, LCI Chairperson of Atyak village , home to about 1,225 people where the project is ongoing, narrated the area’s history and commended the Kingdom and the district for enlightening the community.

LCII Chairperson of Kalwang Parish, Alfred Orombi, called for clearer explanations from the Alur Kingdom and NFA on land ownership, noting that many community members lacked information about the Omyer Central Forest Reserve.

Alur Kingdom Prime Minister (Jadipu) Prince Lawrence Opar Angala provided a detailed historical account, explaining that the vast land in Kalwang Parish, part of the Omyer Central Forest Reserve, was offered to the then Forest Department by the then King of Alur, Rwoth Jalusiga Rauni, in 1949.

He assured the community of continued Kingdom-Government collaboration in promoting socio-economic transformation and cautioned residents against sabotaging government projects.

“Our core role as Alur Kingdom is to promote government socio-economic transformation,” Opar stated.

He urged the community to organise themselves and pursue any legitimate compensation claims peacefully through rightful channels.

Angala also emphasized that the King fully supports government development initiatives.

The project includes components of environmental restoration through tree planting on about 200 acres. Community members staying on the land have been permitted to intercrop with low-growing crops such as groundnuts and beans to allow maintenance of the planted trees.

A similar initiative is underway in Maracha and Terego districts in West Nile.

Cosmas Omirambe, Executive Director of Alur Community Empowerment Foundation, which is implementing the tree-planting component, explained that the initiative would allow the community to coexist beneficially with the project if embraced.

NFA Sector Manager for Pakwach, Mr. Azamuke Kennedy, commended the Kingdom and local leaders for the engagement, emphasizing the project’s benefits, including construction of a water tank to extend clean water supply and opening of access roads for the agrarian community.

Community during the engagement

He invited locals to join the workforce, noting that many home-grown people were already employed on site.

Nebbi District Police Commander SSP Denis Filbert Waibi called for constructive synergy between government and the community, stating that the “development is constructive for our own benefit here,” adding that any case of insecurity will not be tolerated.

Meanwhile, Assistant RDC Olama Stephen Machodwogo warned against sabotage and confirmed that security personnel had been deployed to maintain peace.

Another Assistant RDC, Owachgiu Donald, urged dissatisfied residents to follow proper channels for compensation and cited the benefits already seen in Kucwiny Sub-county through a similar water project.

The Jadipu categorically disassociated HRM Ubimu and Ker Alur from false claims of support for the sabotage.He reiterated that the Kingdom will always back government development programmes aimed at improving socio-economic conditions and health, with clean water provision being a key priority.

The Jadipu was accompanied by the Kingdom’s Minister of Lands and Production, Hon. John Wapokra, Director of Security Nereo Javuru, and the Acting Rwoth of Kaluwang Chiefdom, Albert Aromborac.

Following the extensive engagement, the community expressed satisfaction with the explanations provided and pledged to work together to support the progress of government projects in the area and beyond.

According to the Ministry of Water and Environment, water access rates in Nebbi vary from 26% in Alala Sub-County to 95% in Kucwiny Sub-County. Nebbi has 916 domestic water points which serve a total of 212,347 people, 201,441 in rural areas. 230 water points have been non-functional for over 5 years and are considered abandoned. Nebbi has 2 piped schemes.

This World Bank-funded project is expected to improve water coverage for the rural community of Kalwang, that for decades relied on unclean water sources exposing them to health risks associated with water-borne diseases, among others.

The Alur Kingdom Prime Minister (Jadipu), Prince Lawrence Opar Angala, holding the traditional fly-whisk, poses for a group photo with Nebbi District Deputy RDC Owachgiu Francis, Assistant RDC Olama Stephen Machodwogo, Assistant DISO Chotum Francis, and other stakeholders following a successful dispute resolution engagement.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at zoomer Africa your number one grassroot information hub