By Our Reporter

Teso: The long-awaited cattle restocking program in Uganda’s Teso sub-region remains uncertain, with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) linking its success to the political survival of key party leaders.

Emmanuel Dombo, NRM Director of Communications, urged the Iteso people to “pray harder” for their representatives in strategic government positions the Speaker of Parliament and the Vice President to retain their seats if the restocking initiative is to be realized.

“The first thing is that we have a Speaker of Parliament from Teso, although her term has expired. You just pray harder that she retains the position. We also have a Vice President from Teso. If the two retain their seats, these are strategic offices that can be supported by ministers and MPs to pursue this government program,” Dombo said during a discussion marking 40 years of NRM rule.

Dombo acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding these positions, noting that the Speaker is elected by members of Parliament while the Vice President serves at the discretion of the President.

He added that if the two leaders lose their seats, the Iteso should rely on their members of Parliament to champion the restocking program, which remains a government pledge. Preparations are underway to bring MPs to Kyankwanzi to discuss strategies for implementing manifesto commitments, including cattle restocking.

“The meeting is a strategic initiative for our MPs. We encourage MPs, whether from NRM or NRM-leaning independents, to participate as we prepare for the new parliament,” Dombo said, noting that discussions on the Budget Framework Paper, which could include funding for the program, are scheduled this week.

Dombo’s remarks have drawn criticism from cultural leaders, who argue that linking cattle restocking to political office undermines Teso’s development priorities. Stephen Ojacor, Information Minister for the Iteso Cultural Union, said, “The issue of cows should not be mixed with politics. Linking cattle restocking to the seats of the Vice President or Speaker only makes us a laughingstock.”

Benson Ekuwe, Executive Director of Public Affairs Centre-Uganda, called for issue-driven leadership, stressing that development should depend on organized citizen advocacy and concrete policies, rather than the survival of individual leaders.

Dombo also highlighted NRM’s 40-year tenure, citing democratic consolidation, economic initiatives such as agro-processing and the Parish Development Model (PDM), and military involvement in Somalia and South Sudan as achievements of the ruling party.

“As we celebrate 40 years of NRM, the journey is not complete, but the foundation is strong. Our task now is to consolidate these gains and do even better for the people of Uganda,” Dombo said.