On Monday, more than 50 elders gathered at Onduparaka, the former headquarters of Ayivu County, to peacefully demonstrate their demands. Holding placards in support of Arua City, they specifically called for the creation of more divisions, not a separate district.
Some of the Ayivu Elders Displaying their Placards with various writings like no division, no vote, we want City not District among others at Onduparaka on Monday.
A group of elders in Ayivu Division, Arua City, has renewed their call for the creation of three additional divisions to bring services closer to the people. Arua City currently comprises only two divisions, covering a total area of 412 square kilometers.
Of this, Ayivu Division alone accounts for 402 square kilometers, while Central Division covers just 10 square kilometers. Elders say this imbalance has made access to essential services difficult for many residents, especially those in Ayivu.
On Monday, more than 50 elders gathered at Onduparaka, the former headquarters of Ayivu County, to peacefully demonstrate their demands.
Holding placards in support of Arua City, they specifically called for the creation of more divisions, not a separate district. The elders argued that more divisions would not only bring services closer to the people but also create job opportunities and improve governance structures.
Veronica Eyotaru, a female representative of the elderly in Ayivu Division, voiced her frustration over the merging of the former seven sub-counties into a single division, which she said has stifled service delivery.
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Isaac Atiku, another elder from Ayivu, stressed that while the people embrace Arua’s city status, they want the government to decentralize services further by establishing more divisions before the next general elections.
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Alex Matua, an elder from Ayivu East who also participated in the peaceful demonstration, warned that without the creation of more divisions, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) may not garner votes in the area during the next elections.
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In response, Jona Mbigiti, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Ayivu Division, urged the elders to remain calm. He assured them that President Yoweri Museveni is aware of their concerns and that a response will be communicated in due course.
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As the elders conducted their peaceful sit-in, several other residents from Ayivu were simultaneously at the NRM Secretariat, having traveled overnight by bus to present a separate demand for a district.
