A former Ugandan minister, did the unthinkable after lossing in a recent Parliamentary election,
Hon. Patrick Okumu-Ringa has dismantled all the boreholes he had drilled that have been supplying water to Nebbi Municipality residents for the past two decades, New Vision reports.
According to the report, Hon. Ringa, is said to own huge chunks of land in the municipality, where he had drilled about 10 boreholes in different wards.
The former minister accused Nebbi Municipality constituents of abusing his generosity by not supporting his bid for Member of Parliamnet.
The process of dismantling the boreholes started on Monday and was concluded on Wednesday, three days after the election results were announced.
For close to a decade, Hon.Okumu-Ringa was presenting Padyere County in parliament where he lost the seat to UPC’s late David Ringecan in 2006.
Since then, he has been trying oput his luck on running for different elective seats but has been unsuccessful.
During the NRM primaries, Okumu-Ringa lost to the new entrant, Suleiman Hashim. He, however, chose to run as independent, claiming his defeat during the primaries was as result of rigging.
In the recent election, Okumu-Ringa came third after securing 1,270 votes out of the 9,940 total votes cast.
After the election loss, Okumu-Ringa said he would reconcile with residents and assemble the boreholes during an “appropriate” time.
“I am hurt, but I will reconcile with them. However, for now, let them look for water elsewhere,” he said, as quoted by the New Vision.
“Our people are not appreciative. All I wanted from them was votes. I have educated so many children, but all they tell me is I have done nothing,” he added.
Asked whether he was hurting the Government he once served, Okumu-Ringa said the Government should instead pay him for supplying free water to citizens.
“I don’t think the Government should be offended. I used my money to sink the boreholes, and in any case, even National Water and Sewerage Corporation doesn’t supply free water,” he said.
Okumu-Ringa’s action has, however, drawn mixed reactions among residents and leaders in the municipality, with some supporting him and others saying he had overreacted.
In 2014, the former legistrator was kicked out of a house he was renting in lower Naguru, a Kampala suburb, for failing to pay rent for four years.
According to the tenancy agreement he entered into with the landlord Lamba Enterprises in 2008, Mr Ringa was obliged to pay $800 (about Shs2 million) every month for the house on Plot 25, Ntinda ll Road.
Pleas from Mr Ringa to be given more time fell on deaf ears as the bailiffs started carrying out his personal effects. “Please, please, give me at least a week or two to sort myself out and find somewhere to move. Where shall I take my family now?” he said.
However, Mr Rwamukaga said: “Ours is to enforce a court order [and] not to give extensions.”
The court bailiff gave the former MP 14 days within which to pay up or they would sell his property. “We shall go ahead and sell your property by public auction to recover our client’s money and if we do not raise all of it, l’ll seek an arrest warrant for you,” Mr Rwamukaga said.
In an interview, Mr Ringa said: “These people have acted in bad faith. I was never served any notice and I have been communicating with the landlord’s lawyers. Actually the landlord is my friend; we used to work together at the ministry.”
When probed further on who the landlord was, Mr Okumu answered: “Mr Christopher Obey.” Mr Obey is the interdicted principal accountant in charge of pensions, who is currently on trial in the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of swindling pensioners’ money.