The Parliament of Uganda has formally received a petition from representatives and beneficiaries of the Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Acaba Subcounty, Oyam District.
The petition was presented by the Member of Parliament for Oyam North, Hon Dr Eunice Apio Otuko and it raises grave concerns over underutilisation, mismanagement and alleged corruption surrounding the multi-billion-shilling project.
This comes after the Government of Uganda invested approximately Ugx 45 billion in the scheme, which was intended to benefit 1,200 farmers, however, only 52 farmers are currently benefiting, leaving the majority excluded.
The scheme was established in 2016 and launched by the President on 4th September 2018 to improve rural livelihoods, enhance food security and promote climate change adaptation through modern irrigation infrastructure.
According to the petitioners, canals, pumping facilities, access roads and power infrastructure remain incomplete or poorly managed, undermining its intended purpose.
The petition further highlights multiple failures, including lack of adequate training for farmers in the use, operation and maintenance of irrigation technologies, idle solar-powered equipment, extortion, diversion of resources and corruption by scheme officials.
Hon Otuko said that despite repeated appeals to the Oyam District Local Government and the Ministry of Water and Environment, no meaningful intervention has been made.
The petitioners are now calling on Parliament to urgently investigate the utilisation of funds allocated to the scheme and its overall performance and management and stressed that the project, which was meant to transform agriculture in Oyam and surrounding areas, has instead become a symbol of wasted public investment.
Hon Dr Apio Otuko has positioned herself as a leading voice in Parliament demanding accountability and reforms to salvage the Tochi Irrigation Scheme.
While presenting the petition on the floor of Parliament today, which was signed by 25 people including the former Member of Parliament for Oyam South Constituency, Issa Otto Amiza, and the Oyam District Chairperson, Nelson Adea Akar, Hon Otuko, said that she was moving the motion under Rule 31 of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Uganda.
In his response to the petition, the Speaker ofParliament, Rt Hon Jackson Oboth Oboth, referred the petition to the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and gave them 30 days to report back to Parliament.
