Why I joined NRM — FDC MP Anthony Akol

Kilak North lawmaker Anthony Akol, who was elected on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party ticket, recently attended his first National Resistance Movement (NRM) parliamentary caucus meeting at State House, Entebbe. 

New Vision’s Umaru Kashaka spoke to him yesterday and below are the excerpts.

Q: Why did you attend the NRM parliamentary caucus on February 21?

A: Because I am a full member of NRM now. On February 15, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, came (to Amuru for a fundraising event) and dressed me in yellow. That happened after a series of discussions from September last year, which were all about the problems that Acholi has had for over 20 years in war without seeing anything serious that the Government is implementing to get the people out of poverty. So, we agreed with the Government on key issues on Acholi sub-region.

These key issues include a lump sum compensation for the livestock that was lost during the war, and resolving land conflicts in different parts of Acholi, majorly that of Apaa. We suggested a win-win solution to this Apaa land conflict, which is making Apaa a district of its own so that the districts of Adjumani and Amuru don’t claim it.

On agriculture, we raised the issue of mechanisation and a four-acre model. We also suggested industrialisation to get the 68% of the people of Acholi out of poverty. So, I am now behaving like a pregnant woman.

A pregnant woman in pain undresses when going to a medical doctor. She doesn’t fear the doctor. And this arrangement was never to do with me as a person, but it is about the conditions for Acholi. I didn’t ask for money; I didn’t ask for an appointment, but I simply asked for things that can get the Acholi out of poverty.

I am getting a lot of calls from my constituency and from my district people who want to cross to NRM and also from different districts of Acholi and beyond. I am even getting calls from some people in central Uganda who want to cross.

Where does this leave FDC in Acholi?

I don’t want to talk on behalf of the FDC, but I think I have never been a simple force in the party because rising up to a level of shadow minister of finance for five years and currently chairperson of Acholi Parliamentary Group and also chairperson of West Nile, Acholi, Lango and Karamoja MPs is not simple. I have seen them (FDC Najjanankumbi leaders) running around.

Yesterday, they were running in Amuru trying to reorganise themselves, but it is not that easy; they started too late because of the confusion they caused. I was the one who was sponsoring all the FDC candidates in Amuru, paying their fees for nomination and posters, among others.

So, my work now is simple: to rally the people in Acholi sub-region and in Uganda at large to support NRM. I want to join the table to tell the truth for the people of Uganda. I am not saying NRM is very good, but I am saying, “Can I contribute to correct some mistakes and plug some gaps from within.”

Who played a big role in sweet-talking you to join NRM?

The first person who started talking to me was the late Jacob Oulanyah. He spoke to me and said: “You are dancing off the stage; come on the stage and dance.” But also I got a call from the President on the day we were electing the Speaker. He was also asking me to join NRM and wanted to appoint me chief government whip, but I told him, “You are not aware of the law (requiring MPs to join another party 12 months to the next elections). I am in FDC and so I can’t be a chief government whip.”

And then the President requested me to recommend three people from West Nile, Acholi and Lango, which I did and he picked Hamson Obua (Ajuri County MP) to be the Government Chief Whip.