By Steven Enatu
SOROTI
A pressure group known as Teso Kwanza from Kiswahili word meaning Teso first has been launched in Teso. The launch took place on Wednesday, 20th December, 2023 at Steron Walls.
The pressure group according to its secretary General, Jonathan Ekochu is aimed at rallying the community in Teso to rise up and demand better services and improved social economic status.
“We want to see that our communities are empowered, we want to ensure that Teso gains back its lost glory in terms of development and socio-economic status. We will be championing the enterprise selection for our people in Teso through our experts in different fields guiding them on what business to venture in and the kind of animals to rear. We also want to see that our people get better Education and employment,” he said.
He noted Teso Kwanza shall also take lead in advising people on best practices to keep food secure.
“As Teso Kwanza we shall also be in a lead to ensure that we guide our people when it comes to the politics of this country,” Ekochu said.
Moses Ochole, the chairperson of the group said the focus is on mobilizing the community in Teso who feel marginalized by the Government in terms of development. This includes all tribes living in Teso as a sub region and improving their wellbeing.
Teso Kwanza comprises of veteran politicians, Lawyers, farmers, religious leaders and youths who are funded by Iteso, Kumams, Japadhola in the diaspora.
He said that it’s only through politics that the challenges in Teso can be resolved.
“Any election outside negotiation is irrelevant to any region. It’s the reason we are determined in this move,” he said.
Notwithstanding the position of influence that Teso has on the politics of Uganda, Ochole said it’s not being reflected on the social economic aspect of the lives of people living in Teso and hence a need for the community to rise up and demand for the flow of the economy.
Teso has her Excellency the Vice President, Major Retired Jesica Alupo who also doubles as the woman MP Katakwi, Right Hon Speaker Annet Anita Among and several ministers. Despite these positions, the region still remains one of the poorest and ranked number five among the top poorest regions in Uganda according to the recent poverty estimates.
Drawing examples of Busoga region, Ochole said that what was witnessed in the Buganda royal wedding was as a result of Busoga aligning with NUP yet they were former allies of the NRM government.
“Government of Uganda contributed 5bn. You saw what happened in 2023, Busoga shifted their idea and aligned with Bobi wine and they made sure Museveni was defeated including in Kadaga’s polling station,” he said.
He added that the question of poverty, cattle compensation can be answered in political organization and negotiation.
Citing an example of POA, he said it came when Teso was not organized and this mistake shouldn’t happen in the two years remaining to the 2026 campaigns.
Asked whether they foresee a political party, Ochole said their focus is on dealing with situations that affect Teso.
“Completely negotiate and ensure that the people of Teso have all it takes in the politics of Uganda. Like if this candidate is coming we should be able to ask what agenda he or she has for us in the region. We can be able to say, we are supporting Bobi wine because the NRM government has failed to compensate our animals and improve the lives of people in the region,” he said.
Ask of similar pressure groups like Suka Chini, literally meaning out of the bus that was formed towards the 2021 general election, Ochole said the other was a group of disgruntled NRM members who were agitating for reforms within the party unlike Teso Kwanza that has the interest of entire people living in Teso.
He said their task is to ensure that the government attracts industrialization in Teso as a region rather than individual appointments.
He also says that at least 10% of scholarship in all government institutions operating in Teso should be given to Iteso. He said this should be totally different from sponsorship that is given to learners who score specific points.
He asks Government to take total commitment in improving the breed of cattle in Teso and increase the allocation per financial year to 500billion and release 125billion per quarter.
“Failure to do that, people of Teso will not support the regime,” he noted.
He also underscored the need for the government to improve Agriculture in the region by introducing irrigation schemes across the region and small scale at sub county level.
Teso Kwanza has so far registered over 500,000 members with coordinators from districts, sub counties to village levels.
Tom Ewoku, the chairperson Soroti at heart and deputy president for National Economic Empowerment and Development (NEED) Eastern Uganda called for unity amongst the community living in Teso and set up an agenda that resonates with the community in Teso ahead of 2026.
“I am excited that a team of young people in Teso have started to think positively about Teso. I want to appeal to the political, religious and cultural leaders in Teso to embrace this move,” he said.
However, Benson Ekwee Ochen, executive director Public Affairs center termed it as a shadowed political group camouflaging as a pressure group.
“A pressure group is organized centered around societal concerns like Iteso working to handle the issue of Iteso who were dispelled from Abim,” he says.
Pressure groups are social movements that spontaneously grow and become political parties.
They are formed on a center of specific common challenges of the community.
In Sudan, a pressure group succeeded when the community started a movement against rising prices of food items. It later saw the downfall of the government.
