ARUA, Uganda — Muzaid Khemis of the Forum for Democratic Change has reclaimed the Arua Central Division parliamentary seat, unseating the incumbent from the ruling party.
City returning officer Osman Ezale declared Khemis the winner Thursday morning at the Electoral Commission tally center in Arua.
Khemis received 6,966 votes, defeating Jackson Lee Buti Atima of the National Resistance Movement, who garnered 5,578 votes. Khemis won by a margin of 1,388 votes.
Ronald Debo, an independent candidate, finished third with 3,732 votes, followed by Jackson O’bindu with 642 votes. Veteran politician Kassiano Wadri, running on the Alliance for National Transformation ticket, placed fifth with 625 votes, while independent Haddad Salim received 248 votes.
Khemis previously served as the chairperson of River Oli division from 2016 to 2021. In 2021, he was elected as the inaugural mayor of Arua Central division.
During the campaign, Khemis utilized the slogan “Again for the local,” which he said resonated with voters who believe he understands their specific challenges.
Following the announcement, Debo conceded the race and pledged to support Khemis in developing the city.
“I have followed the tally process up to the end. For me, it was a free and fair process,” Debo said. “The declaration forms were complete, they had signatures that corresponded with ours, so I congratulate my brother.”
Khemis praised the Electoral Commission for its transparency during the vote counting process.
“My assessment is that there was transparency because I had developed my own tally system, and believe me, there is no difference,” Khemis said. “What I have in my tally center and what they have given me here shows that the Electoral Commission in Arua city has been transparent.”
The newly elected member of Parliament said he plans to use his local government experience to represent the constituency effectively.
“I will make sure that I align all my programmes on the National Development Plan IV in order to articulate it on the floor of Parliament in relation to the key issues that affect the community and improve service delivery,” he said.
