NRM’s Ariko Launches Public Campaign To Woo Residents Of Soroti City East

Herbert Edmund Ariko, the NRM candidate for the Soroti City East by-election, has exhorted the locals to support a leader who will close the gap with the Central Government in terms of service delivery.

Ariko made the call on Thursday while launching his public campaign in Pioneer, Central, and Akisim Wards, where he went door to door canvassing for support from the people.

“Soroti City requires a parliamentarian with strong lobbying skills who can make sure the government completely implements the city’s budget. The party in power is NRM. I will make sure that everything outlined in the manifesto for our city is implemented using my lobbying skills.”

Ariko pledged to address the poor doctor-to-patient ratio by lobbying for more human resources from the ministry of health. He also promised to work on the disparities in teachers’ pay once he is elected to the legislative office.

He called on the people to reflect on the quality of leaders they elect, as this would affect the quality of their society and lives. He advised them to vote for servant leaders that would prioritise the needs of society over personal gains.

“Leadership is not about struggling for a job but serving our people. As a candidate of NRM, I am here to ensure that services are available to our people,” he said.

Ariko also raised a concern about the current state of Soroti City, stating that it does not meet the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals of nurturing, harnessing, and developing sustainable cities.

“Personally I don’t emphasize lamentation but action. With my history of work, I have the capacity to lobby at any level to ensure that Soroti matches the standards of a modern city,” he emphasized.

Ariko is battling FDC’s sole candidate Attan Moses who is backed by Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP).

Earlier during the registration of nominees, three candidates withdrew from to race.

Joseph Ogita, Herbert Omoding and Stephen Omoding all independent leaning aspirants claim they have had protracted negotiations with the NRM chairperson. These claims are yet to be confirmed.

In May, the court of appeal ruled nullified the election of FDC’s Moses Attan. The court was convinced that the Electoral Commission failed to conduct free and fair elections after it irregularly transferred Opiyai and Aloet wards from Soroti East to Soroti West after the nomination of the candidates.