Members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Arua Municipality will go to polls this Wednesday 18th July, 2018 to get a flag bearer for the vacant area MP seat.
Party Deputy Electoral Commission Chairman, John Kigyagyi says voting will be by secret ballot, starting 8:00am and ending at 4:00pm.
The race has eight candidates including one woman. They are; Asuman Muhammadi Ali, Alemi Angupade Swadik, Jackson Atima and Simon Ajua. Others are John Lematia, Mbarack Khalfan, Godfrey Obiga and Nusara Tiperu.
The party is hoping to have its murdered NRM strongman, Ibrahim Abiriga replaced by another NRM member from among the eight.
The seat fellow vacant on June 8 when assassinated by unknown assailants on his way back home in Kirinyabigo- Kawanda, a Kampala city suburb.
“Everything is set. Our team is already in Arua and we are hoping to have a free and fair election,” says Rogers Mulindwa the party communications chief.
After the election, Mulindwa says, the party shall escort their candidate for nominations at the national level which exercise will take place from July 19 to 20.
NRM is also determined to win elections in the new municipalities.
After the sucessful record registered in the Local Council Elections, the ruling party has now embarked on the mobilisation of voters in the newly created Municipalities ahead of the polls fixed on July 27.
Different members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and the Senior Secretariat team have already touched base in different Municipalities.
The Secretary General Rt. Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba was this Monday in Kotido Municipality where she addressed over 700 party leaders at Good Shepherd Hall.
She preached against internal bickering within the Party membership warning that it was NRM’s biggest challenge at a moment.
She called on the Party leadership in Kotido to jointly support the Flag Bearers; Hon Lokii Peter and Ismail Lomwara contesting for Parliament and Municipal Mayor respectively. From Kotido SG Lumumba travels to Bugiri district on Wednesday for a similar exercise.
Elsewhere, Prime Minister Dr. Ruhankana Rugunda camped in Sheema where he reconciled different rivaling factions this Tuesday at the Municipal Ground.
Capt. Mike Mukula spent his Tuesday in Njeru Municipality. He held his first meeting at ‘The Nile River Bend Resort’.
Mukula explained to the electorate the reasons they should vote for NRM. Here, he said, “we (NRM officials) shall be here from today until after our candidate is declared winner.”
Deputy SG Hon Richard Todwong is in Nebbi Municipality where he has held separate conferences in the three Divisions of Thatha, Abindu and Central between Wednesdsy and Friday. The Deputy National Treasurer Dr. Kenneth Omona is in Apac while CEC member Hon James Tweheyo camps in Ibanda.
National Treasurer Hon Rose Namayanja remained in charge of the day to day operations at the Secretariat Headquarters as the rest move into the field to canvass support for the Flag Bearers.
“We shall win all these areas my brother,” Mr Mulindwa told this writer.