FDC, NUP Are Dead Parties in Arua City, Says Hajjat Medina
Hajjat Medina while receiving the FDC converts during MP Atima's rally on Friday. Left is Edema. Photo Credit, Andrew Cohen Amvesi
ARUA CITY – The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s Director of Finance and Administration, Hajjat Medina Naham Ojale, has publicly declared the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and the National Unity Platform (NUP) as dead opposition parties in Arua City.
Medina made the remarks while receiving 300 converts from an independent candidate’s camp in Arua Central Division and from the opposition on Friday, December 12, 2025.
The event took place during a campaign rally for the incumbent Arua Central Division Member of Parliament and NRM flag bearer, Jackson Atima Lee Buti, in Mvara Ward.
During the rally, a total of 200 converts from Ronald Debo’s camp (Independent) joined Atima’s team, while 70 FDC members and 30 NUP supporters crossed over to the ruling NRM party.
The new converts were led by Mayi Wadri, formerly Debo’s campaign manager; David Edema, the former FDC Publicity Secretary for Arua City; and Sydney Andama, the NUP coordinator for Arua Central Division.
While receiving the converts, Medina said the arrival of Edema and Andama clearly signifies that FDC and NUP are already dead parties in Arua City and West Nile at large.
“When you see Edema coming here, you know that there is fire and he is running out of the fire. As far as I’m concerned, FDC is dead today. This (Edema) was the pillar of FDC in West Nile. FDC is gone!” Medina said.
“When I see Andama, who has been coordinating NUP here in the city coming to NRM, as far as I’m concerned, NUP is also dead in Arua City. Because when Arua City shines, West Nile shines, so let us clean the city,” Medina added.
She appealed to the people of Arua Central Division to support Hon. Atima, President Museveni, and all NRM flag bearers in the upcoming elections.
“I attend NRM Caucus and Atima is one of the most vibrant MPs in the caucus. For us as the NRM, we discuss in the caucus and if you are not in the caucus of NRM, you can’t discuss the development of Arua. There is no NRM-leaning independent; that is an opposition. So, Atima must win!” Medina said.
In his remarks, Edema said there is nothing useful in the opposition, which is why he has decided to join NRM with his colleagues.
“Nobody should lie to you that there is something useful in the opposition. People from opposition usually come here to deceive us that this government is bad but when they reach Kampala, they work with the government,” Edema claimed.
Similarly, Andama said they had taken a wrong route but now they have realized that the best party is NRM.
“Now we want success, we want to grow since we are still youths, we have a lot in the future and that can only be achieved through NRM not NUP. That is why we have decided to join NRM today,” Andama stated.
The crossover was witnessed by Zoe Bakoko Bakoru, the Arua City NRM chairperson, who warned youths against running after the opposition.
She instead urged the people of West Nile to continue supporting President Museveni, who brought them from exile back home to enjoy the prevailing peace in the country.
MP Atima commended Hajjat Medina and Bakoko for gracing his rally, promising he won’t disappoint the NRM party given the love people have for him in Arua Central Division.
He said it is because of the love and the good work he is doing in the Division that is attracting the opposition to join the NRM party.
Atima promised to ensure that a market is constructed for the women vending along the roadside in Mvara Ward if voted back to office.
Besides, Atima said together with the council of Arua Central Division, there is a plan to elevate Oli HCIV to city hospital status and also establish a lower health centre in the Division to serve the people of the former Arua Hill Division, including those in neighboring areas.