Ronald Debo is the new head of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI) Arua branch after elections held on Monday, November 13, at Heritage Courts Hotel. 

Debo went head-to-head with Caesar Draecabo for the seat, but the latter withdrew his candidacy claiming there were more voters at the venue than the registered 220. 

Draecabo’s protest came after a team from the chamber of Commerce’s secretariat verified the list by reading aloud, the names of the registered voters. 

The protest was deemed disruptive and security personnel consisting of the police and the army, threw Draecabo out of the voting premises. 

Election officials went ahead with the voting process that saw Debo declared the unopposed winner, replacing Jackson Lee Buti Atima whose term of office expired in August 2023.  

The Police blocks Caesar Draecabo in white shirt from the voting premises after he became violent

Tony Ocaya took the position of vice chairman, Hajji Jamal Erima took the position of treasurer, while Rose Mundini retained the position of secretary and Miria Ahmed Miria replaced Ijosiga Bakole as the coordinator. 

Other committee chairpersons were elected for the various sectors of tourism, education, health, transport, hospitality, finance and engineering among others. 

Debo made a commitment to ensure the bad relationship between URA and smugglers is harmonised so that those engaged in the practice can legalise their business. 

Last week, a smuggler was shot dead in Koboko in an operation undertaken by URA. 

Atima describing the new team as competent to solve the issues at hand and those he lobbied for like the demand for stable power for industrial parks to grow businesses in West Nile. 

The Arua Deputy Resident City Commissioner, Ham Ezama, warned the people to desist from tampering with security and but exercise their duty to mobilise more membership for the group to grow business. 

He said the differences in ideology should be harmonised and the two teams should learn to work together, especially Draecabo’ team that lost the election. 

The elections were officiated by the acting Arua City commercial officer, Jobel Ayiko, who called for the chamber to ensure the city grows in service delivery and becomes a centre of excellence with a vibrant private sector. 

The chief of Ayivu County Mike Agondua called for unity. 

James Oluma, the UNCCI head of public relations and ICT, said Arua City’s location has a huge potential for business for all and this calls for a strong chamber of commerce. 

He commended the Arua business community for their commitment to development, asking the people to avoid politicking every development. 

Oluma asked the businesspeople to maintain peace and support the new leadership and further advised those who are aggrieved to seek legal redress. 

“We shared the list of voters and we advertised the election on the national paper but I wonder why some people are still aggrieved,” he said.