Arua Fishmongers Gear Up To Receive NRM SG Todwong
Loice Kazuba speaking to her members as local leaders (seated L) looked on during the fishmongers' meeting Photo Credit Andrew Cohen Amvesi
ARUA. Arua central market fishmongers are warming up to receive the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Secretary General (SG), Richard Todwong.
Todwong will be in Arua Central Division, Arua City on March 22, 2025 to preside over the Silver Jubilee anniversary of the West Nile Effort for Museveni, a political pressure group known for mobilizing support for President Yoweri Museveni and all NRM candidates in the West Nile sub-region.
But ahead of his coming, the Arua central market fishmongers have vowed to turn up in big numbers to welcome the NRM boss to Arua city.
Speaking during one of their preparatory meetings at the fish market on Thursday, March 13, 2025, Loice Kazuba, the chairperson of Arua central market fishmongers, thanked the NRM government through the stewardship of President Museveni for constructing Arua central main market for them.
She said the market has given fishmongers good ambiance to make money which they in turn use for paying their children’s school fees.
“We must all come in big numbers to welcome our NRM SG because it is through the NRM government that we got this market. We shall continue being in this market because it was constructed for us. Nobody must chase us from here, let us continue doing our business here and make money to look after our families. Above all, let us support our leaders starting with President Museveni and our area MP, Jackson Atima Lee Buti including all councilors who have stood with us,” Kazuba said.
Zaitun Onzia, one of the fishmongers in Arua main market, said they intend to use Todwong’s coming as an opportunity to request President Museveni to extend financial support to their SACCO.
She said the funds will help the fishmongers in Arua central market to boost their business by borrowing cash from the SACCO and invest it in growing their businesses.
Mathew Tonny, the chairperson of Leudier and Goi fish traders’ union, a company supplying South Sudanese fish to fishmongers in Arua central market, said the coming of Todwong is a blessing to the people of West Nile especially, the fishmongers who should present their challenges to the government for consideration.
Tonny thanked MP Atima Jackson Lee Buti for uniting the people of Central Division, Arua City and West Nile at large with their Sudanese counterparts, an act which he said has resulted in the peaceful co-existence in Arua Central Division.
He promised that through Atima, they will continue supporting the NRM party, President Museveni and Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chairperson of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).
“As PLU, we are going to mobilize the whole of West Nile in big numbers to come and welcome the NRM SG. PLU has brought so many young people on board who should be empowered to mobilize for President Museveni to win the 2026 general elections with a clear percentage,” said Denis Geria, the PLU Council Youth representative for West Nile commonly known as MK Younger.
Geria warned against corruption in the city, saying his supreme leader, Gen. Muhoozi is committed to fighting the vice to ensure services reach the ordinary people like the fishmongers in Arua city.
Victor Lomori Vidal, the Arua Central Division Deputy Speaker, said the coming of Todwong is an opportunity for the young people and women to voice their concerns to the party leadership.
He said being an administrator of the NRM party, SG has the power to influence things to happen for the good of the people.
“The coming of SG will charge the people of West Nile to mobilize for President Museveni, NRM party candidates and other NRM flagbearers. As we are nearing 2026, we want the elections to be peaceful. But also, we are saying our people need support, look at the women in the main market, they have their SACCOs and for that reason, it is not a crime if they are supported directly through their SACCOS,” Lomori appealed.
Meanwhile Fred Tabu, the Deputy Speaker of Arua City Council, urged the fishmongers to get organized in presenting their issues to Todwong.
He said there are many issues affecting the fishmongers both at the national and local level such as having conflicts with the Division authorities.
“So, it is upon us to see to it that these issues are resolved so that peace prevails to improve the economic environment for everyone because we know that without the fishmongers, the amount of revenue we would lose as council will be massive. So, we encourage the fishmongers to come and explain their concerns to the party SG,” Tabu advised.