Omoro District Local government has started refurbishing murrum roads totaling 42.8 kilometers to ease access to the home of former Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah.
The road works commenced early this week and will target a total of five major routes that were in a bad state.
The roads under refurbishment stretch from Lalogi-Bariyo (12 Kms), Tochi, Atyang to Opit, Awor to Opit, Abili, Abole to Lakwatomer and Lakwaya-Minja.
Peter Douglas Okello, Omoro District Chairperson told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Thursday that they expect the road works to be completed before the arrival of Oulanyah’s body in the district next week.
Okello however says they are facing financial hardship to shoulder the fuel costs for road equipment being used and allowances for the drivers operating the machines.
He notes that they are seeking 81 million shillings (equivalent to 16,000 liters of fuel) and an additional 11 million as allowances for the machine operators grading the roads. Okello says despite writing a request to the National Organizing Committee -NOC, no funds have yet been availed.
“We requested NOC to give us 16,000 liters of fuel, but up to now, the fuel has not arrived. If our request delays, we shall be compelled to dip into our pockets,” says Okello.
Security Beefed up
Security has also been stepped up around and within the residence of Oulanyah in Ayom Lony village in Lalogi Sub-county where thousands of mourners are expected to converge for the final send-off next week.
URN visited the residence on Wednesday and observed heavy deployment of both Anti-Riot Police Officers and the army. Access to the deceased residence has also been restricted with those permitted inside first subjected to thorough body checks.
Okello says the heightened security is to ensure safety from possible wrong characters who may take advantage to cause harm and disrupt the decent send-off of Oulanyah.
Andrew Onyuk, the Omoro Resident District Commissioner says the regional security team is conducting routine meetings to come out with better security measures ahead of the burial of Oulanyah.
Oulanyah’s body is expected to arrive in the country tomorrow from the United States of America-USA. The 56-year-old former Omoro County legislator died at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Washington on March 20th where he had been receiving treatment since February.