The Democratic Party has set its sights on the Teso subregion.

Six months after Uganda’s general elections, the Democratic Party-DP has launched a “permanent campaign” in the Teso sub-region.

The campaign, according to Norbert Mao, President General of Uganda’s oldest political party, is intended to highlight difficulties that the people of the Teso subregion experience.

Mao, a former presidential contender for the general elections in 2021, claims that his party is on a crusade for Uganda’s shared prosperity and the formation of a new consensus.

Among the challenges mentioned by Mao are enhancing educational quality, health care, particularly the overhaul of the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, and security.

Teso’s academic giants, such as Teso College Aloet and Arapai Agricultural College, currently under Busitema University, used to compete nationwide, according to Mao, but have recently faded from the top intellectual giants. Mao is now rallying Teso officials to increase investment in education, particularly teacher training institutes and infrastructure.

In terms of health, Mao stated that Teso has become a COVID-19 hotspot as a result of multiple cases being treated at the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital.

He believes the government should set up surveillance systems and testing equipment to aid in the tracking and treatment of COVID-19 patients in the region. Between August 1st and August 21st, 303 COVID-19 instances were reported in the Teso sub-region.

According to the Ministry of Health’s daily reports, Soroti had the most instances with 90, followed by Kalaki and Kumi with 77 and 68 cases, respectively.

Mao further stated that the DP will assist the region with seeds for sowing as well as a legal aid clinic to assist citizens annexed to Soroti city in obtaining justice in the event of land grabs.

FDC Secretary-General in Soroti, Jovan Peter Odikor, believes DP has made a smart decision that should serve as a wakeup call to other parties.

Only the leaders of the Democratic Party and the Alliance for National Transformation have returned to Teso to review their parties’ performance in the general elections.

DP, on the other hand, claims that they would open an office in Amuria area to serve northern Teso and empower the locals.