By Andrew Amvesi
ARUA. The locals of Yumbe have started on the process of petitioning President Yoweri Museveni over the recent interdiction of Richard Criss Andama, the Yumbe Resident District Commissioner (RDC).
Andama was interdicted on July 2, 2020 following reports of alleged disclosure of confidential information and acts involving turpitude.
But the decision has not gone well with the locals who described Andama as the best RDC in the history of Yumbe district.
As a result, the locals on Saturday started the process of collecting 10, 000 signatures across Yumbe district to accompany a petition they intend to deliver to President Museveni to return Andama in office in two weeks-time.
“We believe that Andama Richard has been interdicted not because of what the President has known about him but because of some greedy characters in our district who must have masterminded his interdiction. Lies have been peddled and the only fate we know about Andama is that he has been against corruption, manipulations and negativity, and he has been promoting the image of the NRM,” Hillary Candia one of the petitioners said.
“Andama’s fate has not been determined for the last one month. We have therefore, today represented the people of Yumbe district and West Nile at large to sign a petition accompanied by 10, 000 signatures so that it is submitted to the President to enable Mr Richard Andama come back to office,” Candia a resident of Oji-West cell in Yumbe town council stressed.
Candia noted that all the NRM carders and the entire population of Yumbe district are against the way Andama has been interdicted, and they therefore, request President Museveni to come out openly on the fate of their RDC who has been a very good NRM mobilizer in the district and the region at large.
“If this doesn’t happen, however, it is bound to affect Yumbe district negatively in terms of mobilization for the President and in terms of monitoring government programs in the district because right now, the office of the RDC is dull; nothing is happening in it, there are no activities and nobody is spearheading mobilization like the way Andama used to do,” Candia stated.
Idi Drasi, the former Odravu sub-county chairperson said the absence of Andama has created a very big gap in the district in terms of service delivery and mobilization.
“People used to call Andama at anytime and he used to quickly come to solve their problems. He has been so cooperative, a reason he was a champion in the fight against Covid-19. Andama used to guide us always but now we are filling is absence. Children are currently at home and many girls have been impregnated due to lack of guidance and that is why, we want Andama back to office,” Drasi emphasized.
Bran Ezangu, another NRM mobilizer from Kangude village in Ariwa sub-county said Andama had already finalized the process of registering 100 NRM women in each of the 13 sub-counties of Yumbe district to spearhead the campaign for President Museveni and other NRM flag bearers but his effort has been derailed by the mafia who have succeeded in pushing him out of office.
Ezangu warned that as people of Yumbe, they don’t want any other RDC in the district during this political season apart from Andama who has been friendly with the local people.
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