By KT Reporter
Denis Onekalit Amere, the incumbent Kitgum Municipality Member of Parliament and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party candidate, has pledged to revamp the defunct Kitgum Airfield if re-elected in the upcoming general election. Amere made the pledge while addressing supporters at Arua Park in Kitgum Municipality during his campaign.
He said reviving the airfield would be a top priority in his second term, citing discussions he held earlier this year with officials from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), who he said were positive about the idea. The Kitgum Airfield, managed by UCAA, was established in the 1980s for emergency transit and supply deliveries during insurgencies in the region.
However, it was closed in the early 2000s due to encroachment and the presence of stray animals on the runway. Currently, the airfield is occupied by the Kitgum Taxi Owners and Drivers Association (KITODA) as part of plans to develop a new Kitgum Bus Park. Amere argues that the closure of the airfield has cost Kitgum significant opportunities, particularly in tourism, given the municipality’s proximity to Kidepo Valley National Game Park. He noted that most tourists stop in Gulu City before travelling by road to Kidepo, bypassing Kitgum.
“The closure made Kitgum miss several opportunities in terms of business,” Amere said. Previous attempts to relocate the airfield to Opete East in Labongo Amida Sub-county and Labongo Akwang Sub-county between 2011 and 2016 were abandoned due to land conflicts. In 2018, UCAA officials also disagreed with municipal council plans to relocate vendors to the airfield to pave way for a modern market.
Amere, a former Makerere University Guild President, is facing stiff competition in his re-election bid. His challengers include Beatrice Atim Anywar, the State Minister of Water and Environment and pioneer Kitgum Municipality MP, who previously served as Kitgum District Woman MP between 2006 and 2016; Jimmy Komakech Olanya Olenge of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC); Richard Okello Rambo, an independent candidate; and Gloria Lamara of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).
Amere defeated Anywar and Olenge in the 2021 general election to secure the Kitgum Municipality parliamentary seat. However, some residents remain sceptical. Sarah Arach Ochola, a resident of Pandwong Cell in Pandwong Division, said she is tired of what she described as empty promises.“What we need is action, not just sweet talk.
She revealed. “KITODA is doing a good job developing the bus park on that land, why mess with it? If he really cares about Kitgum, he should focus on fixing other things like health service and schools instead of dreaming about planes.”Others believe the proposal could benefit the municipality. James Opira, a resident of Ayul A Cell in Pager Division, said Amere had a valid point. “Amere’s got a point about the airfield, and if we can get it working, then it’ll be a game-changer for the tourism industry,” Opira said.
“I remember when it was buzzing back in the day, Kitgum used to have many visitors despite the war, and now we need to think big for Kitgum’s future. He stated “What we need is for him to work with the right people to make it happen, no more land squabbles or politics.”
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