Liberation Day serves as a time to reflect on the past 38 years, celebrating the resilience and freedom ushered in by the National Resistance Army under the stewardship of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. 

In Arua city, the preparations for the celebrations are in high gear. 

As the day draws closer, South Sudanese refugees living in Arua City joined their host community in cleaning Arua city central business areas. 

The Keep Arua City Clean initiative undertaken on Wednesday, January 24, was one of the precursor activities lined up by the city authority to commemorate the day on January 26. 

Locals cleaning Arua City streets ahead of the celebration of the NRA Day.

It was also an activity planned by the South Sudanese refugees under their group, the South Sudanese Refugee Association (SSURA), ahead of their inaugural cultural gala slated for Saturday, January 27. 

Among other groups who turned up for the cleaning exercise include, the city leadership led by RCC and city mayor, the district security, NRM pressure groups, Muni University students, health practitioners and other well-wishers. 

While flagging off the cleaning exercise, the Arua Resident City Commissioner, Charles Ichogor, said the initiative undertaken was in line with the second pillar of the NRM manifesto that talks about health, education and water. 

“We can never have a healthy community when you have a dirty city and NRM being particular about health issues, we want to ensure cleanliness in the city because we now have all the peace to do whatever business we can do but that can only be in a clean environment,” said Ichogor.

Gabriel Batali, the SSURA coordinator in West Nile, said NRM being the host government, they are part and partial of the celebrations in the country owing to the hospitality shown to the refugees. 

“There is no other government that hosted us since 2014 but the NRM government so whatever they do, we are part and partial of the community in Uganda and we shall participate in any lawful activity in this country as our host,” Batali said.

Santo Lasuba, the chairperson of the South Sudanese Cultural Gala, acknowledged that health is a priority in any community and that they want to show solidarity with the sitting government. 

Muni University students, especially the public health science students, were part of the team who used the occasion to educate the community on the importance of public health in their surroundings.

Clara Ajio, a vendor at Ediofe Trading Centre, also left her business alone to take part in the cleaning as she acknowledged the need to clean Arua city due to unregulated littering. 

According to her, the day is worth celebrating since the government has given them peace to participate in any income-generating activity without interference. 

Moses Obeta, the Arua City business community chairperson, commended the NRM government under the stewardship of President Museveni for providing an enabling business environment despite the challenges of reliable electricity and bad roads. 

Arua district’s celebrations have been pushed to February 9, 2024, so as to give time for district leaders to attend the national celebrations and ensure adequate preparation according to Geoffrey Okiswa the Resident District Commissioner.