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BY RICHARD DRASIMAKU
ARUA: SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2025
Arua Central Division Member of Parliament, Jackson Atima, has said that his opponent Godfrey Obiga deserves a promotion in his employment at the National Identification and Registration Authority because he is a bright young man.
However, when it comes to the position of the MP for Arua central Division for which they are campaigning for the National Resistance Movement Flag, Atima asked the voters to give him a second term.
“The NRM flag and the seat of the MP for Arua Central Division is in safe hands. I am still capable of continuing to represent you with distinction,” Atima said to raucous crowds in Orphanage and Oyoze cells where he was joined in the campaign trail by Obiga.
It is the fourth time that Obiga is presenting himself as a possible parliamentary candidate in the NRM primary elections. He fared badly in the previous three attempts.
Obiga anchored his message on poverty alleviation, health sector improvement, education promotion and improving the business environment.
Atima said in this particular elections where he is also being challenged by radiologist Ronald Debo, that he is not campaigning but meeting his voters to offer accountability for job well done in the past four years.
He told the people that he has fulfilled all the pledges he made to them, with the exception of the youths skilling center which is still work in progress.
“Give me the chance to complete establishing that center. I have already purchased a building, laid a slab for the training wing and what is remaining is buying equipment,” he told the people who shouted back chua (tick).
Atima indicated that while maintaining a visible presence in the parliament, he actively rendered support to the religious institutions such as churches and mosques without discrimination.
He also supported the communities and groups of youths and women with seed capitals and maintained close contact with fish mongers and vendors that culminated into gazzeting of new markets – Owino apparels, Lobidra and Sudanese fish market where fish brought from Juba, South Sudan is sold.
His interventions ended tensions between the market vendors and the Arua City council and the Central Division council that had threatened to close these markets.
In the transport sector, Atima said he negotiated with the Uganda Revenue Authority for promotional period of two years where cyclists in Arua city were allowed to register their motorcycles at half-price.
At each campaign rally, supporters showered Atima with gifts of chicken, banana (both ripe and raw), and artifacts in a demonstration of their affection for the incumbent MP.
The Primary elections have been set for Thursday July 17, 2025 and voting is by lining behind the candidate or his agent or poster.
The winner will go on to represent the National Resistance Party in the general elections slated for February 2026.
