Gulu NRM students turn rowdy over cash

A facilitator addresses students at Gulu University main campus at a recent function. File photo

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Grievance. Gulu university students claim they had been promised allowances for mobilising for the party rally

Gulu.
Drama ensued at Gulu University main campus on Friday when NRM students turned rowdy at a party campaign over failure to get enough refreshments and allowances, a claim the party denies.

The national coordinator for National Youth Coalition for NRM Mobilisation Uganda, Mr Justus Tugume, had gone to the university to promote the NRM Caucus resolution on President Museveni’s sole candidature in the 2016 general elections.

Mr Tugume was accompanied by Ms Miriam Otengo, the principal private secretary to the President in charge of youth, and the chairperson of the Northern Youth League, Mr Simon Peter Wokorach.

Shortly after the rally ended, NRM mobilisers and students demanded T-shirts, refreshments and allowances, claiming they had spent a lot of time mobilising for the rally.

“We have been tirelessly mobilising for the endorsement campaign function despite the fact we are also doing our exams. We deserved to be facilitated for our efforts,” Mr Moses Okach Owor, the NRM students’ mobiliser, said.

He said Mr Tugume and his leadership promised the students allowances and more than 150 students signed the facilitation forms.
However, in a telephone interview with the Daily Monitor, Mr Tugume denied the claim, describing it as “a misconception” by the NRM student-mobilisers.

He said the ruling party did not allocate them any amount of money for youth mobilisers at the university as allowances.
The coordinator said President Museveni only directed them to print 2,000 T-shirts and distribute them to students.