By Nathan Eyagu
SOROTI - Jonathan Ebwalu, the Member of Parliament for Soroti City West, has called for transparency and a thorough audit of the proposed expansion, urging the government to engage all stakeholders before moving forward.
Ebwalu, who serves on the Physical Infrastructure Committee of Parliament, while addressing the media today, expressed concern that the project had not yet been presented to their committee. "If the government intends to expand Soroti Flying School, Parliament must be involved," he stated, emphasizing that financial requests for the expansion would come through his committee.
The MP highlighted the recurrent nature of such initiatives, noting how they seem to re-emerge near election periods, comparing it to other delayed projects like the cattle compensation and the Serere-Kagwara Road.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged the critical need for the expansion, given that the current runway, at 1.7 kilometers, is well below the 3.2 kilometers required for international airport status.
Ebwalu stressed the importance of open communication and transparency before any further actions are taken. “Government must negotiate with the affected families, and local leadership, including MPs, mayors, and LC1 leaders, must be involved before any work starts,” he said.
He urged the people of Soroti to embrace the potential development, which could transform the region with first-class roads, hotels, industrial parks, and more. However, he reiterated that proper compensation for affected communities should be guaranteed before any expansion begins. Moreover, the expansion must accommodate the parking of at least 10 wide-body aircraft, necessitating growth in the east, west, and south parts of the airport.
“We support the development,” Ebwalu concluded, “but the government cannot move forward without involving the people who will be directly impacted by these changes.”
