Related Articles
Ezale Osman was a busy man on the two days of nomination of MP candidates
BY RICHARD DRASIMAKU
ARUA: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2025
The nomination center in Arua city was one of the busiest in the two-day exercise as a total of 21 candidates were cleared to contest for four elective parliamentary seats.
The most coveted is the seat for Arua Central Division currently held by Jackson Atima and the Ayivu West Division where John Lematia is the incumbent.
Osman Ezale, the returning officer for Arua city disclosed that each of those positions attracted six contestants, followed by five for the city Woman Member of Parliament and four in the Ayivu East Division.
The National Resistance Movement and the National Unity Platform sponsored candidates in all the four elective positions, the Alliance for National Transformation has one candidate, the Forum for Democratic Change sponsored two candidate, and the Democratic Party has one candidate while there are nine independent candidates in the race.
In the Arua Central Division, incumbent Atima is facing challenge from, Mauzaid Khemis of FDC, Kassiano Wadri of ANT, Hadad Salim, an independent candidate, Ronald Debo, another independent candidate and Jackson Obindu of the NUP.
In the Ayivu West Constituency, Lematia faces former MP Bernard Atiku, Fiona Onzima of the NRM, Christopher Bayo Democratic Party, Bernard Jibi, an independent and Constant Adriko, the National Unity Platform candidate.
Ayivu East has incumbent Geoffrey Feta racing against the tide spearheaded by Eng William Tiyo Oda, of the NRM, the Godfrey Anguyo of the FDC and the Isaac Ayikobua of the NUP.
The Woman MP position will see Maureen Osoru who is seeking a third term tussling it out with Nups Night Asara and independents Sheila Obia, Darphine Draza and Sandra Ewacabo.
Each candidate paid sh3m nomination fees, meaning the electoral commission generated sh63m in Arua city alone for the government through candidate nomination.
Ezale said the candidate will commence campaigns after harmonization of their schedules on November 10, 2025 and the canvassing will go on till January 13, 2026.
The polling day is slated for January 15, 2026 after one day break from open campaigns.
Lina Zedriga, the National Unity Platform Deputy President for the Northern Region accompanied the NUP candidates to the nomination center and there after handed to each of the candidates, the national flag and the umbrella as symbols of belonging to NUP on behalf of the party president Robert Kyagulanyi.
