A section of members of Parliament from the Teso sub-region who subscribe to Teso Parliamentary Group (TPG) has allegedly left their WhatsApp group over what they called Vice President Rtd Jessica Alupo’s alleged misconduct.
The group dubbed TPG 2021-26 OFFICIAL, combines all the parliamentarians from the region, including the Speaker Anita Among and Vice President Jessica Alupo.
TPG is currently chaired by Mr. Bosco Okiror, the Usuk County MP.
Okiror is actually one of the few MPs and elected leaders in Teso who still work very closely with Vice President Jessica Alupo who has fallen out with a lot of fellow elected leaders since becoming VP.
With full Alupo backing, Okiror got the position after the reign of Bishop Patrick Okabe who died sometime last year and was replaced by his son running on the independent ticket.
Because he has exhibited a lot of Alupo-ism, those who dislike the VP for some reason coiled and began becoming disinterested in TPG activities and programs. There are barely any meetings or activities convened these days under TPG to discuss the sub-region issues.
It’s only the TPG WhatsApp forum that has lately been active with MPs, both from NRM and opposition, freely exchanging views. As VP, Alupo (being number 2 in the national hierarchy) has most of the time used this forum to direct belligerence and hostilities at those she dislikes or finds offensive.
For instance, she one time posted pictures of her and the President returning from commissioning some oil-related infrastructure in the Kikuube district and demanded to know where State Minister for Energy Ministry Okasai Olupot (whose boss Ruth Nankabirwa VP considers to be hostile to her 2026 Nankabirwa VP considers to be hostile to her 2026 reelection) had been not to have joined H.E that day.
Many members felt it was inappropriate to grill a fellow member of the Cabinet on a WhatsApp forum regarding why he skipped the President’s function as opposed to privately reaching out to him.
On another occasion, Alupo (who was squeezed out of the flag bearer race in favor of Violet Akurut Adome in 2021) complained against Tanga Odoi’s failure to organize proper party primary elections vowing to prevail at the earliest opportunity someday.
On another occasion, she took on Teso Affairs Minister Dr. Kenneth Ongalo Obote demanding to know why his Ministry lobbied and availed an ambulance for Kapelebyong district at the expense of Katakwi.
On another occasion, she picked a huge quarrel with fellow Cabinet member Hellen Adoa (of Fisheries) accusing her of trying to take the President to Okabe’s home to commiserate with the family yet she (Alupo) had already done that on behalf of the Presidency and the entire government.
Alupo posted on the TPG a message to read as some concerned security or ISO operative had come across that information and shared it with her.
In another post, the VP boasted of having many voluntary informers in the security and intelligence services and vowed to post everything he gets or comes across implicating Ministers who fight or dislike her. In most cases, her posts are always this belligerent and are posted either in the evening or morning when colleagues are preparing to begin their day.
Even during the most recent Kyankwanzi retreat, Alupo posted controversial things on the TPG WhatsApp forum wildly praising Gogonyo MP
Derrick Oronyo for vigorously taking on being the VP she was permitted to have her phone inside the meeting room and praised Oronyo instantly.
After Kyankwanzi, Peter Ogwang (the MK Teso Coordinator) began vigorous mobilization for the upcoming MK tour slated for August this very year which is barely two months away.
Alupo, who desires to indicate to Museveni she can single-handedly deliver Teso, is uncomfortable with the MK mobilization because it’s giving her archival
Peter Ogwang’s additional platform to keep upstaging her back home in Katakwi. Ogwang has given her more reason to be sleepless because he is closely working with Cecilia Anyakoit, a former UPC girl who in 2011 defeated Alupo but was unable to be declared the winner.
The restless Alupo has been itching to vent against the ongoing MK mobilization in the hope to deflate Peter Ogwang. Her entry point this time round was a crude attack on former Katakwi LC5 Chairman Elakas Walter Okiring who is closely working with Ogwang to effect the MK mobilisation.
Posting on the Teso Parliamentary Group this morning, Alupo claimed there are politicians who have made it a habit to grab tenders to manage public cattle markets in Teso while collecting daily
dues at the expense of the poor people. And that this actually is how a lot of those people have been funding their political campaigns over the years.
She gave the example of Okiring and vowed to crack the whip on other elected leaders doing the same in their respective districts. Alupo asserted she was fearful those who used to mess up public markets in Katakwi were on the verge of getting reelected back to the office in 2026.
She added there are speculative companies, belonging to political heavyweights from both Soroti and Bukedea, which were being lined up to win tenders to manage public markets in Katakwi partly to enable Elakas to raise campaign funding in the remaining few years to the 2026 general elections.
Speaker Anita Among had the guts to respond to Alupo (who many fear to annoy). Among responded that her Bukedea district would be more attractive to such selfish politicians (if they indeed exist) than Alupo’s Katakwi because they (Bukedea have the largest and therefore most lucrative public cattle market in Teso.
Not one to go down without a fight, Alupo pushed back and the manner she did it rubbed many MPs the wrong way. As if they had spoken to each and agreed on some way forward, the majority of MPs exited the group while advising Bosco Okiror to remain in TPG with those he likes.
In the end, the WhatsApp forum which had not less than 40 participants was left with only 5 members including Alupo, Okiror, and three others.
Those who exited made it clear they were protesting Alupo’s belligerent approach and vowed not to be active or have anything to do with TPG again anymore until Okiror (who some despise as Alupo’s walking stick) ceases to be caucus Chairman.
Herbert Ariko, the Soroti City MP, was among the first ones to exit arguing the environment had become too toxic for his comfort.
Minister Jeje Odongo and Susan Amero protested as to why people were leaving. In fact, Jeje Odongo had also just been readmitted to the group having been controversially removed in March this very year under very mysterious circumstances-Source-URN
