NRM brigade launches vote drive in Arua city

POLITICS|ELECTIONS

A group of National Resistance Movement (NRM) members, code-named Yellow Brigade Association (YEBA), on Saturday launched an office with the aim of boosting NRM support in Arua city.

Jurua Karilo Alia, the group chairman, said the association was initiated by Gen. Salim Saleh in 2011. The pressure group was meant to act as a major taskforce to promote NRM party activities.

In 2016, the task force played a major role in helping the NRM party to win elections in the West Nile region, including the former Arua Municipality.

Jurua, in a meeting held on February 2, last year, identified strategies which he said would promote togetherness among members for positive transformation, income generating activities and enhanced household income for members.

The COVID-19 outbreak interrupted the association activities, until now (August) when they launched their office at the new taxi park in Arua city.

The group has 602 registered members, who have each paid sh10, 000 membership fee.

However, other non-registered members across the region have actively popularised the party, expanding its support to over ten thousand members.

Jurua said the members have sustained the association through membership fee, group savings, and management of the toilet at the new taxi park, lawn mowing and individual donations.

The main purpose of the association is to promote unity among communities for positive transformation.

Jurua identified some of the activities undertaken by the members as payment of six-month rent for the office space and attending government and party celebrations.

The members travelled to Ibanda district for the NRM Day's celebrations and to Nakaseke for the Tarehe Sita celebrations. They also travelled to Mbale for the Women's Day celebrations and Sironko for the Independence Day celebration in 2019.

Bernard Atiku, the MP for Ayivu division, on Saturday donated a desktop computer to the association's office.

The legislator, through his representative, Jimmy Angubo, handed over the computer to the Resident City Commissioner, Nahori Awua Oyaa, who presented it to Jurua during the launch.