The MPs from Teso sub region,including the Speaker Anita Among and Vice President Jessica Alupo, all belong to a WhatsApp forum called”TPG 2021-2026 OFFICIAL” This is used for coordination purposes. The same MPs all belong to a grouping called Teso Parliamentary Group (TPG)whose current Chairman is Bosco Okiror, the MP Usuk County.
Okiror is actually one of the few MPs and elected leaders in Teso who still work very closely with Vice President Jessica Alupo who has fallen out witha lot of fellow elected leaders since becoming VP. With full Alupo backing,Okiror got the position after the reign of Bishop Patrick Okabe who died some time last year and was replaced by his son running on the independent ticket.
Because he has exhibited a lot of Alupo-ism, those who dislike the VP for some reason coiled and began becoming disinterested in TPG activities and programmes.
There is barely any meetings or activities convened these days under TPG to discuss the sub region’s issues.
It’s only the TPG WhatsApp forum that has lately been active with MPs, both from NRM and opposition, freely exchanging views. As VP, Alupo (being number 2 in the national hierarchy) has most of the times used this forum to direct belligerence and hostilities at those she dislikes or finds offensive.
Even during the most recent Kyankwanzi retreat, Alupo posted controversial things on the TPG WhatsApp forum wildly praising Gogonyo MP Derrick Oronyo for vigorously taking on the President demanding that he pronounces himself on what he called disruptive activities by the MK Movement crusaders. Alupo was lucky because being the VP she was permitted to have her phone inside the meeting room and praised Oronyo instantly.
After Kyankwanzi, Peter Ogwang (theMK Teso Coordinator) began vigorous mobilisation for the upcoming MK tour slated for August this very year which is barely two months away.
Alupo, who desires to indicate to Museveni she can single-handedly deliver Teso, is uncomfortable with the MK mobilisation because it’s giving her archival Peter Ogwang additional platform to keep upstaging her back home in Katakwi.
Ogwang has given her more reason to be sleepless because he is closely working with Cecilia Anyakoit, a former UPC girl who in 2011 defeated Alupo but was unable to be declared the winner.
The restless Alupo has been itching to vent against the ongoing MK mobilisation in the hope to deflate Peter Ogwang.
Her entry point this time round was a crude attack on former Katakwi LC5 Chairman Elakas Walter Okiring who is closely working with Ogwang to effect the MK mobilisation. Posting on the Teso Parliamentary Group this morning, Alupo claimed there are politicians who have made it a habit to grab tenders to manage public cattle markets in Teso while collecting daily dues at the expense ofthe poor people. And that this actually is how a lot of those people have been funding their political campaigns over the years.
She gave the example of Okiring and vowed to crack the whip on other elected leaders doing the same. She added there are speculative companies, belonging to political heavyweights from both Soroti and Bukedea, which were being lined up to win tenders to manage public markets in Katakwi partly to enable Elakas to raise campaign funding in the remaining few years to the 2026 general elections.
Speaker Anita Among had guts to respond to Alupo (who many fear to annoy). Among responded that her Bukedea district would be more attractive to such selfish politicians (if they indeed exist) than Alupo’s Katakwi because they (Bukedea) have the largest and therefore most lucrative public cattle market in Teso. Not one to go down without a fight, Alupo pushed back and the manner she did it rubbed many MPs the wrong way.
As if they had spoken to each and agreed on some way forward, majority MPs exited the group while advising Bosco Okiror to remain in TPG with those he likes.In the end, the whatsApp forum which had not less than 40 participants was left with only 5 members including Alupo, Okiror and three others.
Those who exited made it clear they were protesting Alupo’s belligerent approach and vowed not to be active or have anything to do with TPG again anymore until Okiror (who some despise as Alupo’s walking stick) ceases to be caucus Chairman.
Herbert Ariko, the Soroti City MP, was among the first ones to exit arguing the environment had become too toxic for his comfort. Minister Jeje Odongo and Susan Amero protested as to why people were leaving. In fact, Jeje Odongo had also just been readmitted to the group having been controversially removed in March this very year under very mysterious circumstances.
Source: URN
