BY ALEX PITHUA

ZOMBO: The King of Alur Kingdom His Royal Highness Phillip Rauni Olarker III has renewed calls to government to tarmac road the 119 Km Nebbi-Goli-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr-Vurra road in order to spur economic development in the greater West Nile region and DR Congo. This road also connects the Padea and Vura-DR Congo border posts.

The King made the remarks on Saturday during his 13th coronation anniversary at Alengo playground in Parombo town council Nebbi district where thousands of his subjects and other dignitaries thronged the Kingdom for the event.

Olarker, who is the 33rd King of Alur Kingdom described the road stretch as a death trap especially during the rainy season. 

“Our pledges and promises should be fulfilled; our main roads need to tarmacked, we don’t have many roads but the ones we have are very important to the livelihoods of people of greater Nebbi.” Phillip Olarker Rauni explained.

On 25^th October this year, a section of youth activists and advocates of the tarmacking of the Nebbi-Goli-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr-Vurra road took to streets in Zombo district protesting the long overdue pledges of the government and failure to tarmac this 119kms road.

Other roads that the government intends to tarmac in greater Nebbi include; Panyimur-Pakwach-Obongi, Panyimur-Parombo-Erusi-Goli and Parombo-Angal Nyaravur road respectively.

But Richard Todwong, the NRM Secretary General who was part of the event urged the people of Alur land to be patient as government mobilizes resources to work on the roads in the country.

“Feasibility studies and the architectural design of the 119kms Nebbi-Goli-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr-Vurra road have been completed and the government is mobizing the funds.” Todwong explained to our reporter.

But the pressure has continued to mount on the ground to the predominant NRM leaders in greater Nebbi districts as voters insist that they deserve to be appreciated by tarmacking roads because they have overwhelmingly voted the government for the last three decades.

Meanwhile President Museveni who was the guest of honor at the ceremony extended 20million shillings to the King in a message delivered by the state Minister for Northern Uganda Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, while the NRM secretary general, Todwong gifted the King with 10million shillings as a cash contribution from the party.

Furthermore, traditional leaders from Northern Uganda who were part of the event made an earnest call to meet President Museveni. Last year during the 12^th Coronation anniversary of the King of Alur at Atyak Seed School Atyak Zombo district, the Kings requested to meet the President directly as he turned up of for the celebration.

According to the traditional leaders, they want President Museveni to empower cultural institutions more and involve them in implementing government programs like PDM and among others.

They also want the President to consider increasing money for cultural leaders, support cultural institution SACCOs and build them permanent houses.

The Chief of Parombo chiefdom Rwoth Muzinga requested the Minister for Northern Uganda Kwiyucwiny to deliver their massage to the President.

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