ATIMA’S PARLIAMENTARY RECORD:

 FROM ARUA CITY ROADS TO WEST NILE’S WIDER CONCERNS.

By Oringi Denis

The parliamentary record of Hon. Atima Lee Jackson Buti during Uganda’s 11th Parliament presents a broad range of issues raised on behalf of Arua Central Division and the wider West Nile subregion, covering infrastructure, education, health, security, agriculture, aviation and public financial management.

Between 2021 and 2025, Atima used parliamentary questions, statements and interventions to bring a number of constituency and regional concerns before Government, according to the parliamentary material reviewed for this report. The issues ranged from delayed Parish Development Model (PDM) funds and teenage mothers seeking to return to school to insecurity in Arua City, inadequate firefighting equipment, unpaid tobacco farmers and concerns over road maintenance and public expenditure.

However, the record also highlights an important distinction in assessing parliamentary representation: raising an issue in Parliament does not, by itself, establish that the underlying problem was subsequently resolved.

PDM FUNDS AND THE QUESTION OF IMPLEMENTATION

One of Atima's early interventions concerned the implementation of the Parish Development Model in Arua Central Division.

In 2022, he raised concerns over delays in accessing PDM funds, reporting that five of the six wards in his constituency had received Shs17 million each during the 2021/2022 financial year, while some groups had reportedly not received their money. He also questioned how enterprises benefiting from the programme were selected.

The intervention brought the implementation of a major Government economic programme into parliamentary scrutiny, particularly the gap between budgeted resources and the experience of intended beneficiaries.

TEENAGE MOTHERS AND THE RETURN TO SCHOOL

Education and the consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown also featured in Atima's parliamentary interventions.

On 8 September 2022, he asked Government about teenage mothers who became pregnant during the lockdown and were subsequently abandoned by their families. He sought to know what Government was doing to address the growing number of child mothers and facilitate their return to education.

Government's response outlined measures and school-return guidelines, including sensitisation of schools to receive child mothers back.

MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS

On 27 September 2022, Atima also participated in a parliamentary discussion on mental health.

His contribution included concerns about mental health services in Arua and cases where people suspected of having mental illnesses were taken to prison. The intervention placed access to appropriate mental healthcare within a wider national discussion.

SECURITY CONCERNS IN ARUA CITY

In 2023, insecurity in Arua City became another subject of parliamentary attention.

Atima cited incidents including armed robberies at Champion Betting Centre and Premier Betting Centre, as well as the shooting of a security guard at Novafinia Clinic. He told Parliament that security meetings had already been held and sought further parliamentary attention to the situation.

The intervention brought individual security incidents into the national parliamentary record.

ARUA AIRFIELD AND REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY

Transport infrastructure was another recurring issue.

On 20 April 2023, Atima raised concerns about the stalled upgrading of Arua Airfield, which had been proposed for development into an international airport. He argued that the project had implications for trade, employment and the regional economy and questioned why the proposed upgrade had not featured in the budget.

The intervention framed aviation infrastructure not merely as a transport issue but as part of the economic development of West Nile.

THE CHALLENGE OF ROAD EQUIPMENT

Road infrastructure became one of the recurring themes in Atima's parliamentary interventions.

On 11 October 2023, he questioned the availability of road maintenance equipment in Arua City, arguing that the city had inherited a large area without adequate equipment. He questioned why equipment had to be taken to Gulu, the regional centre, instead of being available to serve Arua City.

The issue resurfaced in 2025, indicating continued parliamentary attention to the city's road maintenance capacity. The repeated interventions suggest that road equipment remained a concern during the period covered by the parliamentary record. They do not, however, independently establish that the equipment shortage was resolved.

TOBACCO FARMERS SEEKING PAYMENT

On 19 October 2023, Atima raised the issue of unpaid tobacco farmers in West Nile.

He reminded the Prime Minister of a presidential directive on the payment of farmers and sought clarification on when the outstanding payments would be made.

Government responded that teams would be sent to verify the affected farmers and prepare a payment schedule.

The response established a proposed administrative process, but the parliamentary material reviewed does not establish whether all the affected farmers were eventually paid.

ALLEGED EXTORTION OF FISH TRADERS

On 8 February 2024, Atima raised allegations concerning the treatment of fish traders and transporters operating through West Nile and the Elegu border.

He alleged that an officer attached to the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit was demanding Shs3 million per truck and said four trucks had been held.

Atima told Parliament that he had evidence supporting the complaint. The intervention placed allegations of extortion and the conduct of fisheries enforcement officers before Parliament.

FIREFIGHTING CAPACITY IN WEST NILE

On the same day, Atima raised concerns about firefighting capacity in the region.

He said several police stations in West Nile, including Pakwach, lacked firefighting trucks or equipment. He cited a bus fire near Pakwach Police Station which, according to his parliamentary submission, could not be adequately responded to because of the absence of firefighting equipment.

He called for budgetary provision for firefighting trucks and fire-prevention services.

The intervention highlighted emergency-response capacity as a regional public-safety issue.

ARUA REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL

Healthcare also featured prominently in Atima's parliamentary interventions.

In 2024, he raised concerns about Arua Regional Referral Hospital, including alleged theft of equipment and an ambulance, electricity reliability and drug availability. He also questioned the handling of personnel who were under investigation.

At the same time, the parliamentary record noted improvements associated with a new National Medical Stores delivery schedule, which had helped address drug shortages.

The intervention therefore combined concerns about accountability and hospital asset management with broader questions about the delivery of healthcare.

ARUA CITY'S FINANCES

Public financial management became another major theme in 2024.

On 23 October 2024, Atima told Parliament that Arua City had returned more than Shs17.6 billion while significant service delivery gaps remained.

He called for timely release of funds so that money allocated for service delivery would not be returned to the Treasury.

The issue also intersected with the work of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, which was examining questions concerning excess or late releases.

The intervention raised a broader question about the relationship between public expenditure and actual service delivery in the city.

ARUA–ENTEBBE AIR TRAVEL

On 6 March 2025, Atima raised concerns following disruption of air travel between Arua and Entebbe.

He referred to what he described as an unsafe landing and passengers being stranded after a cancelled flight. He also raised the question of passenger refunds.

The Prime Minister directed the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Works to investigate safety compliance. The Government response also addressed compensation and refund issues.

The intervention therefore moved a specific passenger complaint into the parliamentary oversight process.

RETURNING TO THE ROAD QUESTION

On 9 April 2025, Atima again raised the question of road maintenance and equipment in Arua City.

He questioned the use of road funds, referring to Shs1 billion in allocations and asking what physical works had been delivered. He also raised the need for garbage-management equipment for cities.

The intervention reflected an attempt to connect financial allocations with visible service delivery.

The parliamentary record indicates that he referred to a roads committee meeting and used the discussion to pursue questions about allocations and physical works.

PRESIDENTIAL PLEDGES TO ARUA CITY

A day later, on 10 April 2025, Atima raised the issue of presidential pledges relating to Arua City.

He called for parliamentary scrutiny of commitments made by the President, including proposed offices and residences associated with the city's administrative structures.

The intervention placed presidential pledges within the framework of parliamentary oversight.

YOUTH SKILLING AND INDUSTRIAL HUBS

Youth employment and skills development also featured in the April 2025 interventions.

Atima questioned whether training centres and industrial hubs had adequate electricity and tools to enable young people to make practical use of the skills they acquired.

He argued for investment in the infrastructure required to support the training centres.

The intervention broadened the discussion from simply training young people to whether the facilities had the resources necessary to translate training into productive activity.

MUNI UNIVERSITY INFRASTRUCTURE

On 16 April 2025, Atima turned attention to Muni University.

He raised concerns over stalled infrastructure projects and questioned whether the Shs4.6 billion allocation would be sufficient.

Among the projects identified were a multipurpose health-science laboratory, an administration block, an engineering workshop and PTC-related works.

His intervention focused on the gap between approved funding and the cost of completing projects already under construction.

ARUA PRISON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Education infrastructure and staffing also came under scrutiny.

On 16 April 2025, Atima raised concerns about Arua Prison Primary School, reporting that three teachers were responsible for seven classes.

He also referred to inadequate staff accommodation and teacher shortages. Atima said he had followed up on the school's performance after the release of examination results.

The intervention placed staffing levels, teacher welfare and school performance within the parliamentary record.

MVARA SECONDARY SCHOOL AND ASBESTOS ROOFS

One of the interventions with a documented Government follow-up concerned Mvara Secondary School in Arua City.

Atima raised concerns about classroom and dormitory blocks with asbestos roofs and called for replacement with iron sheets and additional infrastructure support.

The matter was subsequently addressed in a Government response dated 31 July 2025. Mvara was identified among schools targeted under the U-Learn rehabilitation programme, with asbestos roofs included among the infrastructure components scheduled for replacement.

This represents one of the clearer examples in the record where an issue raised by the MP was followed by a documented Government response.