Former Minister Bakoko declared unopposed for Arua City NRM Chairperson post

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ARUA CITY - In a belated election for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party structural position, the former Cabinet Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Zoe Bakoko Bakoru, emerged unopposed for the position of Arua City NRM chairperson on Friday.

She was declared unopposed by Jachan Omach, the NRM Vice Electoral Commissioner Chairperson, after two other contestants dropped out of the race.

Bakoko is now the NRM chairperson Arua City for the period 2025 to 2031 election period.

The elections also proceeded to other positions, with the position of Vice Chairperson taken by Arafat Rajab, while Farid Asiku won the position of General Secretary.

L-R: NRM Vice Chairperson Arua City, Arafat Rajab, NRM Chairperson Zoe Bakoko Bakoru, and NRM Vice EC Chairperson Jachan Omach after the elections. (Photo By Robert Ariaka)

Aguta Lawrence won the position of Publicity Secretary, while Beatrice Letasi took the position of Finance Secretary unopposed, and Francis Bayo became the Youth Chairperson.

Speaking to the media after the poll,  Bakoko said the elections have been overdue and this helps them in mobilisation for the party.

She thanked God for making the elections conclude peacefully after huge tensions mounted from the two divisions of Ayivu and Arua Central division, which form Arua City.

"Arua is where you test the temperature and political climate in West Nile 

Bakoko, who said that she was pleased with the crowd that received President Museveni and the NRM Presidential flagbearer, asked the Arua populace and the West Nile in general to work together and take advantage of the prevailing peace in the region.

“We appreciate the money the government is pumping into the community through various programs of PDM, Emyooga, Youth Livelihood fund, GROW and UWEP.

There is a lot to be done, and working is the task ahead of her to unite the people.

We want to ensure the real votes are received for President Museveni, not just by saying but by acting. We shall come together and we shall unite. I appeal to the people of Central and Ayivu to work together, but some people want to use tribe and religion to divide others,” Bakoko said.

Arafat Rajab, the ONC coordinator for Arua City, who won as the vice chairperson, said the elections experienced delays and contestation from the two divisions, Central and Ayivu.

He says all other cities have already conducted their elections, but the Arua elections were delayed. He calls for unity to grow the party.

“People were demanding districts, more divisions and this affected the elections, yet this is structural elections,” Rajab said.

He explained that the delayed elections did not affect the mobilisation for the NRM Presidential candidate, Yoweri Museveni Kaguta.

"We shall work together to mobilise and overcome the opposition, we shall work together and overcome opposition," Rajab said.

"I presented myself to preach unity and advocate for working together. Being in structure means mobilisation, and I am carrying a big burden to mobilise for as the ONC and NRM Vice chairperson Arua City," Rajab explained.



Beatrice Letasi, the finance secretary Arua City, was unopposed and says she has worked in the position from the time she was a youth. “When people were contesting for the position, on seeing me, a number of them dropped. Working with money is not easy; you need not to be corrupt, be social and happy. I am social and happy with people because I socialise easily.”

Letasi says the delay in conducting the elections caused several confusions, but this has now been solved.

Modest Juliana Auma, the NRM Commissioner in charge of West Nile, said districts conducted their elections, but Arua City did not conclude the elections.

"They presented a request to meet the President over the demand for service delivery. At the time the city was created, it found nine sub-counties with seven merged to form Ayivu division, which makes service delivery a challenge," Auma explained.

This delayed the elections, which were rescheduled for Friday, October 17, 2025.

When the leadership wrote to the Secretary General, he wrote to the Chairman Election Commission NRM to conduct the elections.

"The people who have been elected into the office are committed and ready to mobilise for the NRM party. She says without the structure it will be difficult to mobilise for President Museveni," Auma said.

Arua central division, which is known for voting opposition, Auma says the party is mobilising to change the narrative. The Central Division is mobilising to win over 70percent for the party.

On the issue of disunity, she said like any other family, the NRM family is not exceptional.

She advised the leaders to unite, and those who were nominated as independent were not allowed to participate in the party elections.

The NRM Presidential Candidate, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Friday concluded his campaigns in the 12 West Nile districts, with Adjumani left in East of the Nile for Monday.