Soroti District Takes Community Barazas To Tubur And Gweri  Subcounties Amid Calls For Better Services

 October 14, 2026   |    92 views

By Our Reporter |
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The Soroti District LC5 Chairperson Hon. Bob Owiny, popularly known as B.O.B, has taken community engagement meetings to Tubur and Gweri sub-counties, where residents have raised concerns over alleged corruption in government programmes, poor roads, inadequate health and education facilities, and security challenges.

On Monday, October 12, 2026, Owiny held a community baraza at Tubur Town Council headquarters, bringing together district and sub-county leaders, technical officers, security officials and community representatives to discuss service delivery challenges affecting residents.

The meeting was attended by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), the District Speaker and district councillors, the District Internal Security Officer (DISO), the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), heads of departments, district and sub-county technical teams, LCIII chairpersons, councillors, LCIs and LCIIs.

The community engagements continued on Tuesday, October 13, in Gweri Sub-county, where residents presented concerns affecting livelihoods, access to public services and the implementation of government programmes.

Corruption Allegations in PDM and Restocking Programmes

During the Gweri engagement, residents raised concerns over alleged corruption, extortion and irregularities in the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and livestock restocking programmes.

According to issues presented during the meeting, some LCII leaders, Parish Development Committee (PDC) members and parish chiefs were accused of engaging in practices that undermine beneficiaries’ access to the government initiatives.

The concerns point to the need for greater transparency, accountability and effective monitoring to ensure that intended beneficiaries receive support without being subjected to illegal payments or other forms of exploitation.

Residents also raised concerns about the high cost of vaccinating cattle and other animals, saying the expense was a challenge for livestock farmers.

The concerns highlight the importance of reviewing access to animal vaccination services while strengthening oversight of government programmes intended to improve household incomes and agricultural productivity.

Poor Roads, Health and Education Infrastructure

Infrastructure and service delivery challenges also featured prominently during the Gweri baraza, with residents highlighting the poor state of roads in the area.

The condition of the roads was among the issues raised as communities called for improved access and better infrastructure to support movement, trade and access to essential services.

At Gweri Health Centre III, residents expressed concern over the poor state of infrastructure and inadequate staffing, raising questions about the facility’s capacity to meet the healthcare needs of the surrounding population.

Education was another major concern, with residents pointing to inadequate classrooms, insufficient teachers, a shortage of teachers’ accommodation and inadequate pit latrines in government primary and secondary schools.

The concerns reflect persistent demands for improved school infrastructure and staffing to create a better learning environment for pupils and students across the sub-county.

Residents called for attention to these gaps to improve access to quality education and healthcare services.

Security Concerns Also Raised

Security-related issues were also presented during the Gweri community engagement, although specific incidents were not detailed in the information available from the meeting.

The inclusion of security among the community’s concerns underlined the importance of continued engagement between residents, local leaders and security agencies in addressing issues affecting public safety.

The community barazas provide a platform for residents to directly present their concerns to district leaders and technical officers, while giving authorities an opportunity to identify service delivery gaps requiring attention.

By taking the engagements to different parts of Soroti District, Owiny and the district leadership are providing a forum for communities to raise concerns about government programmes, infrastructure and the delivery of essential services.

The key challenge now is translating the issues raised during the meetings into practical interventions, improved accountability and better service delivery for residents of Tubur, Gweri and the wider district.