ARUA CITY: President Yoweri Museveni who is also the National Resistance Movement [NRM] Presidential candidate has said that the government of Uganda through the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs has received Shs. 90 billion to pay 11,000 veterans in the financial year 2020/2021. He also said that another UShs.90 billion will be released to pay the remaining 14,000 claimants in financial year 2021-2022.

The President was yesterday addressing the people of West Nile and in particular to the people of the greater Nebbi district over the radio from his Residence in Arua town.

Candidate Museveni said that the government has been slow in handling payments of the retirees’ pension and gratuity, which accumulated due to the state of economy at the time of the first discharge of the retirees in 1992. He however said that the government has now paid all the veterans and the cry-out remains with those whose retirement was before 2014.

Museveni said that the government will not pay all the money at once because it has other responsibilities to undertake including developmental projects such as roads, electricity, health etc. He noted that if the government pays all the money at once, other projects would not be worked on.

The NRM candidate told the people of the greater Nebbi district  and West Nile at large that the NRM government will undertake the construction of the road from Panyamuru to Parambo through Erusi to Goli, the road from Pakwachi leading to Rhino camp via Obongi to Dufile and the roads from Nebbi, Goli to Vurra customs border. Other roads to be worked on include Moyo, Yumbe, Koboko and Manibe, Terego and Yumbe road.

Candidate Museveni said that the government is working to connect the West Nile sub-region to the 132 KV national grid from Oluyo to solve the issue of electricity in the region.

The President urged the people of West Nile to engage in commercial farming for better wealth creation and transformation of their lives. He told the people that the NRM party has a strong and stable government and is the centre of the gravity. 

“We have built a strong army which has brought peace and in turn brought the rich people (Investors). These rich people have solved the problems of shortage. They pay taxes and create jobs; which are 6 times more than the jobs of the government,” he said.

He noted that the taxes paid by investors have enabled the government to undertake many infrastructure developments such as the roads, electricity, and education among others.

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