Namisindwa, Uganda: At least three members of the Namisindwa District Executive Committee (DEC) of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have been arrested over the alleged misuse of funds meant for parish-level mobilisation conferences.
Those arrested include NRM Vice Chairperson Charles Nasimolo, Finance Secretary Kimaku Cyrus, and General Secretary Mukisa John. The trio was arrested on the orders of Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Elijah Madoi following a tense security meeting at the district headquarters.
The arrests followed protests by NRM members from six sub-counties, Bupoto, Namisindwa Town Council, Namabya, Mukhuyu, Bumbo, and Lwakhakha Town Council, who complained of receiving UGX 300,000 per village instead of the UGX 620,000 transport refund allocated for participants attending the parish conferences.
Angry party members stormed the district headquarters demanding accountability, prompting the RDC to convene an emergency meeting involving security officials and DEC members.
RDC Madoi said the confusion stemmed from two conflicting circulars issued by the NRM secretariat, but added that investigations revealed misuse of part of the funds by some members of the distribution teams.
“These funds were meant to mobilise support for President Museveni and all NRM flag bearers. Every flag bearer is expected to attend these conferences,” Madoi said.
Before being taken to police, Finance Secretary Kimaku Cyrus told reporters that the remaining funds had been left with NRM sub-county chairpersons in the affected areas and pledged to follow up on recovery.
The NRM LC5 flag bearer for Namisindwa, Mr. Emma Bwayo, welcomed the arrests, saying the scandal had exposed the party to unnecessary political attacks.
“The money was meant to facilitate mobilisation. Anyone who misused it must be held accountable so that it reaches the intended beneficiaries,” Bwayo said, urging security agencies to widen investigations. He also accused some village NRM chairpersons of taking a disproportionate share of the funds.
Meanwhile, NRM District Chairperson Aramazan Wabuko confirmed the arrests and disclosed that nearly UGX 14 million had already been recovered, adding that disbursement of the remaining balance to the six sub-counties began on Wednesday afternoon.
By press time, the three officials were still detained at Namisindwa Central Police Station, recording statements as investigations continued.
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