Beyond Promises: Acom’s Call Reflects What Serere Residents Have Waited Years to See.

By Peterson Hiirya.

When Serere District Woman MP Hon. Esther Lucy Acom stood before State Minister for Local Government Hon. Justine Nameere Nsubuga and declared, “Let there be no promises in this Kisanja,” her words resonated far beyond the launch of new community roads.

For many residents gathered at the launch of the Rural Development and Food Security (RUDSEC) road project, the statement captured years of waiting for government commitments to move from speeches to reality.

The construction of community access roads was welcomed as a step in the right direction. Better roads promise easier access to markets, schools, and health facilities while lowering transport costs for farmers across Serere, Soroti, and Kaberamaido districts.

But for many in Serere, roads are only one part of a much larger development agenda.
A Hospital That Has Been Long Awaited
One of the district’s biggest expectations remains the elevation of Serere Health Centre IV into a fully-fledged district hospital.

As Serere’s population has grown, residents have increasingly sought better healthcare closer to home. 

Patients requiring specialized treatment are often referred to hospitals outside the district, increasing both travel costs and delays in accessing medical care.

Acom urged Minister Nameere to champion the long-awaited upgrade, arguing that quality healthcare should no longer remain an unfulfilled government promise.

Skills for the Youth.

Youth unemployment continues to be a concern across the district.
To address this, Acom renewed calls for the establishment of a government technical school in Serere, saying practical vocational training would equip young people with employable skills and create opportunities for self-employment.

For many families, such an institution would provide an affordable alternative for students unable to pursue university education while supporting the district’s growing workforce.

Roads Beyond the Community Network

While the RUDSEC roads mark new investment in rural infrastructure, residents are also looking beyond community access roads.

Among the district’s priority projects are the tarmacking of the Soroti–Serere Road and the Kumi–Ngora–Ocapa Road, which leaders say are essential for improving trade, agricultural marketing, and regional connectivity.

For a district where agriculture remains the backbone of household incomes, reliable road infrastructure is viewed as a key driver of economic growth.

From Announcements to Delivery.

Acom’s message also reflected a wider frustration over projects that have been announced repeatedly but remain incomplete or delayed.

“As we join hands to fight corruption, we also want to raise our voice that our people are tired of promises. We want to see action during this new leadership, and we want every government commitment fulfilled,” she told the minister.

Her remarks aligned with Minister Nameere’s warning to contractors and technical officers against corruption, poor workmanship and unnecessary delays in implementing government projects.

The minister directed contractors to deliver quality work within agreed timelines and cautioned that companies producing substandard work risk contract termination and blacklisting. She also warned technical officers against approving incomplete projects.

A Shared Demand for Accountability.

The event brought together Members of Parliament, district leaders, technical officials, contractors and cultural leaders, all emphasizing accountability in public service.

For many residents, however, accountability will ultimately be judged not by speeches or project launches but by completed facilities, functioning services, and visible improvements in their daily lives.

The launch of the RUDSEC roads offered fresh optimism, but it also served as a reminder of the broader aspirations still held by the people of Serere: a district hospital that can meet growing healthcare needs, a government technical school that prepares young people for work, better highways that connect farmers to markets, and public projects delivered on time and to the expected standard.

In that context, Acom’s appeal was more than a political statement. It reflected the priorities of a district that believes the time has come for government commitments to be measured not by the promises made but by the projects completed.