Arua Central Division NRM Members Demand Autonomous Political Status
Kube while addressing the Arua Central Division NRM structure leaders at Mayor's Garden on Wednesday
ARUA CITY – Members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party structure in Arua Central Division have staged a protest march to the Mayor’s Gardens, demanding independence from the main Arua City NRM structure.
Braving the midday heat on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, hundreds of party members marched from the Central Division offices (formerly River Oli Division) through the streets of Arua City, singing NRM songs and carrying placards bearing messages such as “No political district, no mobilization.”
Led by Arua Central Division NRM Chairperson Nasur Kube Yusuf, the demonstrators accused the party’s national leadership of failing to recognize Central Division as a standalone NRM political district.
Speaking at the Mayor’s Gardens, Kube warned that without immediate recognition of Central Division as an independent political district, members would not mobilize support for President Yoweri Museveni or other NRM flag-bearers in the area.
“We do not recognize the Arua City NRM chairperson. Our chairperson is the one for Arua Central Division political district,” Kube declared. “We will only work for President Museveni as an independent Central Division district, not under the city structure.”
He claimed President Museveni had directed that both Ayivu and Central divisions be granted separate political district status within the NRM structures, and urged the party’s Secretary General to act swiftly.
“If the Secretary General and the President do not address our concerns urgently, there will be no mobilization for the NRM in Arua Central Division. President Museveni will not get votes here,” Kube warned.
He was echoed by Mayi Wadri, the Chairperson of the NRM Women’s League for Arua Central Division, who said members had been excited when the division was initially declared a political district and had expected mobilization funds to follow.
“To our shock, we were later told that the recognized chairperson is Zoe Bakoko Bakoru of Arua City. We don’t know her, we never elected her, and our elections were conducted only within Central Division,” Wadri alleged.
She added that women in the division were tired of intimidation and would not campaign for the party until the issue is resolved.
In response, Arua City NRM Chairperson Zoe Bakoko Bakoru dismissed the protest, insisting she is the officially recognized leader of the party in the entire city, including Central Division.
“I am the official NRM chairperson of Arua City. They are protesting simply because mobilization funds were channeled through me,” Bakoru said.
She revealed that Kube had attended a meeting at the NRM Secretariat in Kampala where the arrangement was clearly explained.
“Kube was present when it was stated that the limited resources would go through the city chairperson to the villages. He did not raise any objection in Kampala, so I don’t understand why he is misleading people now,” she added.
The protest ended peacefully, but leaders of the Central Division group vowed to continue pressing their demand until the party’s national leadership formally recognizes Arua Central Division as an independent NRM political district.