Atiku to take on Lematia in Ayivu West election

The 2021 parliamentary elections for Ayivu West in Arua City were highly competitive, especially after the government created new regional cities.

Ayivu County, which initially had seven sub-counties, was divided into two constituencies, West and East. Pajulu, Adumi, and Ayivuni formed Ayivu West Division while Aroi, Manibe, Dadamu, and Uluko formed the East Division.

Political tensions rose when some leaders argued that Arua City was too large to manage. They lobbied for Ayivu to be given a district status.

In the election, Mr Bernard Atiku, a former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) member, who joined the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and served for two terms as an MP, believed his experience and past achievements would help him easily secure the party’s nomination.

However, things didn’t go as planned. He lost both the party primaries and the general election to Mr John Lematia, a relatively unknown businessman.

Mr Atiku has, however, expressed interest in returning to Parliament.

“I have decided that it will be right to make a comeback for obvious reasons that we had laid a very good foundation for the development of our city,” Mr Atiku said.

He added: “But in the last four years, we have realised that we lack representation in Parliament. Our MP is among the least or worst performers. The roles of an MP are well stipulated in the Constitution. In the four roles, Ayivu West has been performing very poorly. I don’t know what he will do in the last few months.”

If elected to Parliament, the former legislator wants to improve education, the social socioeconomic status of the locals and ensure that all residents in Ayivu West register their land.

Rev Can Alfred Jeff Adiburu, a local elder, said many residents want Mr Atiku to return to Parliament.

“He did a lot of good things when he was in Parliament and the years he has been out, we do not see them. He has been giving scholarships to best-performing children in primary and secondary schools,” he said.

But Mr Lematia insists that he has done what is required for the constituency including lobbying for electricity connection and road maintenance in the constituency.

 “In the Parliament, I have carried out an oversight role as stipulated and some of my achievements can be seen in the constituency. What I know is that my political opponents are capitalising on the issue of my absence in attending council meetings. Yet they inform me late and sometimes when I already have other schedules,” he said.

Mr Atiku is likely to face Mr Lematia again, as he has also shown interest in keeping his seat.

Other candidates interested in the Ayivu West constituency seat include Mr Tom Awuzu and Ms Phiona Onzima, both leaning toward the NRM, but more people are expected to join the race later.

As the elections draw closer, residents of Ayivu West are voicing concerns about major unresolved problems that could influence their votes.

One of the biggest challenges is the poor road network. Many locals struggle to access markets, especially during the rainy season.

Access to clean and safe water is another major issue, particularly for people living near the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border.