There is a raging debate and agitation by a section of people from Ayivu to reduce the size of the city and create Ayivu district, which according to them is too big. They also argue that the Ayivu are being disadvantaged by denial of employment opportunities in neighbouring districts and that the budget for the city and Ayivu division is low. Today, there are Ayivu politicians namely, Nyakua Sam, the Mayor of the city, Avutia Malon, the mayor for Ayivu, Feta Geoffrey, MP Ayivu East, Lematia John, MP Ayivu West and Yikita Faustine,Secretary of Ayivu Initiative, the pressure group advocating for the split of the city are on the Agbatara show discussing this topic
The list comprises politicians of Ayivu, excluding other stakeholders of the city. From the outset, this presents serious limitations to this debate. This is the reason which has led to the present disagreement. At the time of bringing the whole of Ayivu into the city, the same mindset was applied: that this was an Ayivu agenda and consequently the consultations were restricted to the Ayivu. The main objective was tha bringing the whole of Ayivu into the city was the best way to safeguard the interests of the Ayivu people especially thru voting. The objective was that you would capture all the political positions in the city because you would netrulise the other communities. During the last elections, there was a vicious campaign, example, against candidates who were deemed to be from Terego. One such candidate who suffered the wrath of the Ayivu was Sheila. Those who remember know the abuses which were hulled against her that were so vitriolic. You could here such expressions as " ' Ba eyi nya ndu tre si'. ( You benefit thru numbers). This meant that the big numbers were to be brought into the city to win seats. In Terego we say " Idri ze ze yindu Le, i'di anga to druu".( That if you defecate under the water, it will float on the surface of the water at some point). Essentially, the very sectarianism that was applied to bring the whole of Ayivu into the city is the very sectarianism which has returned to haunt them. At that time, all the politicians in Ayivu calculated that that strategy would benefit them as individuals in that elections. Unfortunately, this didn't happen. Some of the greatest achitects of that strategy failed in the elections.
Secondly, it was stated as a policy that all the cities to.be created would only have two divisions. I am now hearing that they are agitating for more divisions. And interestingly, those agitating for more divisions are castigating those agitating for a district. They say the issue of the city was resolved during the consultations. At the time, the question of two divisions was resolved at the time.
I have always said that sectarianism is self_reinforcing. The moment you say you a different county and against other other people, you will split yourselves at some point. They say those who rule by the sword die by the sword.
And this brings me to the question of Ayivu. What do we mean when we talk of Ayivu? The counties of Ayivu, Vurra, Terego, Madi, Aringa, Maracha were created as administrative units for administrative convenience, not tribes. The politicians now have converted these into tribes. If you come to Ayivu, you find some same clans both in Ayivu and Terego eg the Yole. An Ayivu in Manibe and Oluko is more ethnically related to Terego clans in Katrini and Bileafe than an Ayivu in Adumi or Pajulu. The Unzoro are divided between Terego and Maracha.
The initial idea about Arua city encampassed parts of Vurra esp up to Odia. It covered about 80 sq kms. Through a world bank project, it was supposed to follow the obvious urban expansion. Due to the sectarian mentality of some of our politicians, the Vurra pulled out. And one can see how akward this is. The natural growth of the town towards Kla road is now outside the city. So ridiculous.
I would really think that let our politicians for once allow technical considerations to guide such processes.
Of course, the broader question is that the NRM also rushed to create the cities as a vote winning strategy. The cities are struggling.
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