𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘁, 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘇𝘆: 𝗠𝗣 𝗔𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮’𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝘂𝗮!

Arua City — Business came to a standstill in Arua City on Monday afternoon as thousands of enthusiastic locals flooded the streets to welcome their area Member of Parliament, Hon. Atima Lee Jackson Butti, following his return from Kampala after securing nomination under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

Hon Atima Being Received at the Airfield 

The legislator, who was nominated on June 17, 2025, at the NRM headquarters in Kyadondo by the party’s Electoral Commission chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi, made a stylish return aboard a private jet operated by Arasus Aviation in partnership with the faith-based organisation Jesus Cares. The aircraft landed at Arua Airfield, sending waves of excitement through the city.

The drama peaked when the pilot, Captain Jonathan, circled the city three times in the air before touchdown—an act that electrified the crowd but momentarily paralyzed business operations across the central division of the city. Crowds cheered, waved NRM flags, and chanted slogans as the jet signaled the return of their “beloved son.”

The crowd at OPM GROUNDS 

From the airfield, MP Atima moved  to the OPM grounds, escorted by a sea of supporters in a celebratory procession filled with ululations, singing, and slogans in praise of the ruling party.
When he finally addressed the charged crowd, Atima highlighted his commitment to the development of Arua City.

All the promises I made in the last campaigns were fulfilled. But there’s still more to be done for the people of Arua, and I am ready to deliver in the next Parliament, he said.

He went on to explain the significance of his grand return.

My coming in a private jet is to show my people that I have a strong network beyond Uganda and to introduce this new aviation company to you. I request your support to vote for me and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the upcoming 2026 general elections, he stated, amid cheers.

Hon Atima disembarking the Plane

However, the day was not without controversy. While the celebrations remained peaceful in most areas, violence erupted near Arua Regional Referral Hospital. A group of alleged supporters began robbing bystanders and passersby, resulting in chaos that prompted police at the hospital post to intervene. Shots were fired in the air to disperse the rowdy crowds, and preliminary reports indicate that at least 15 mobile phones were snatched during the fracas.

Security authorities have launched investigations into the incident, with police calling for restraint from supporters and urging the public to celebrate peacefully as the political season intensifies.

The spectacle marks one of the most dramatic homecomings of a political figure in West Nile in recent years and underscores the high stakes and enthusiasm as Uganda gears toward the 2026 General Elections 

By Our Reporter