Ex-minister Ajedra back to political trenches, eyes Vurra Mp seat again

Eng. Dr. Gabriel Ajedra Aridru, the former State Minister of Finance in charge of General Duties is back to political trenches with eyes set at Vurra Constituency Mp seat in Arua district.

Ajedra, who recently tied knot with lover Aisha Alibhai made the shocking declaration while addressing journalists at Slumberland hotel in Arua on Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Aridru lost his Vurra Constituency Parliamentary seat to the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Yovan Adriko during the controversial NRM primaries that attracted any voter with a national identification (ID) as opposed to the party card to vote.

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But being a loyal carder and Arua district NRM chairperson, Aridru obeyed the party principles by refusing to contest as an independent candidate against Adriko during the 2021 general election.

However, we are told that the news of his come-back has caused pressure in different political camps in Vurra.

This is after Aridru assured the public that he is coming back in 2026 due to the continued voter demand.

Aridru said his voters have been calling him to return to complete the stalled projects he had started in the constituency.

“There have been a number of calls from many people in Vurra, Logiri, Arivu and Ajia sub-counties that Hon. Minister please, could you consider coming back. Of course, they had their reasons why they wanted me back. Yes, after all those calls, I have done some consultations with a number of people and I can confirm that in 2026 for NRM primaries and hopefully also for the general elections, I will come back,” Aridru said.

“And I think one of the compelling reasons is that there are quite a number of projects which I started that have not been completed and you know, when you do something halfway and it has not been completed, it haunts you. I will give you one typical example of rural electrification; there were so many areas we had mapped for rural electrification but they have not been completed the way I had wanted,” Aridru added.

He also cited a number of water projects which he started during his tenure in office and they haven’t been completed.

“One other typical example is the Ovisoni water project which was supposed to serve the customs, it was supposed to serve all the communities along Odianyadri-Vurra custom road including the secondaries and the one which is very important is the health center at Kawuanjetia. The idea was that the water would come all the way from Ovisoni by gravity via Tilevu there, the communities also would get their water and then it would come all the way up to that health center. Currently, the health center doesn’t have water yet the health center needs water,” Aridru explained.

He said when the Arua city water project was being done at that time, he talked to national water and sewerage corporation to take water to Ajia because of the health center which is there and indeed the water was taken.

Aridru further noted that the other one was taken all the way to Bondo and that was to serve the health center in Bondo there as well and the communities along the road.

“So, there are a number of other projects which I had started which have not been completed the way I had wanted to including first-tracking the process of constructing the Arua district headquarters in Vurra, a district which I fought for. You provide better service when you are physically in that area, but if you are going to be very far, provision of service becomes very difficult,” Aridru said.

“So, I think the issue of Arua district headquarters also needs to be resolved because you can’t continue running a district from another jurisdiction and the issue of the assets which are still in Arua city. Those are all issues that have never been solved, so I’m hoping that if people give me the opportunity to come back, I would wish to conclude those things,” Aridru emphasized.

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