By KT Reporter
Hundreds of residents from Arua and the greater West Nile region, including elders from Ayivu, gathered at the Ayivu Division headquarters on Palm Sunday afternoon to welcome former Arua District and Ayivu County MP, and ex-Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Zoe Bakoko Bakoru. This marks her first public appearance in Arua after more than 16 years of self-exile in the United States.
Bakoko, who returned to Uganda in August 2024, has since been residing and working with the Office of General Salim Saleh in Gulu but had not set foot in West Nile or her hometown of Arua until now. Her official reintroduction to the region took place on Saturday during the commemoration of 22 years since the peace agreement between former West Nile rebels and the NRM government.
The event, held at Geya Primary School grounds in Yumbe District, was presided over by President Yoweri Museveni. The government lauded Bakoko for her instrumental role in pacifying the region by mobilizing rebel factions and facilitating the signing of the peace agreement on December 24, 2002.
Her return to Arua was met with jubilation.
A mammoth crowd cheered, chanted her name, and danced in celebration as she arrived. Speakers from Ayivu, many addressing the crowd in Lugbara, described her as a “mother figure,” a “unifier,” and a renewed “political hope” for the sub-region.
Marlon Avutia, Mayor of Ayivu Division, and Sam Nyakua, Mayor of Arua City, praised the government and President Museveni for enabling Bakoko’s return. They also called for political recognition and support for her contributions.
Geoffrey Feta, MP for Ayivu East and Chairperson of the West Nile Parliamentary Forum, urged residents to guard against political disunity, which he said has hindered development in Ayivu and the wider West Nile region for years.
Arua Resident City Commissioner Salim Komakech described Bakoko’s return as a historic moment and a chance for the people of Ayivu to work more closely with the government for regional development.
State Minister for Veteran Affairs, Huda Oleru, who was the chief guest at the homecoming event, described Bakoko as a “new star in the sky.” She pledged to work closely with her to foster development in the region.
Visibly emotional and overwhelmed by the crowd, Bakoko pledged to uphold the spirit of a true Lugbara woman by fostering unity among the people of Ayivu and West Nile.
A nurse by profession, Bakoko began her career at Yumbe Hospital before becoming District Nurse at Arua Hospital. She transitioned into politics and was elected Woman MP for Arua in 1996.
In 2001, she won the Ayivu County parliamentary seat, defeating then MP Dick Nyai, and later served as Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development. Bakoko fled Uganda in 2007, seeking asylum in the United States after claiming threats to her life.
The homecoming celebration was crowned by a performance from Gulu-based artist Romeo Odong, composer of the popular Pililili…Yo Leng, whose electrifying show at Onduparaka further energized the festive crowd-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
