NRM mobilisers storm office over allowances

Zirobwe Sub-county NRM party mobilisers at the district party offices in Luweero Town Council on Tuesday. PHOTO BY DAN WANDERA

LUWEERO- More than 100 NRM party mobilisers from Zirobwe Sub-county in Luweero District on Tuesday stormed the district party offices in Luweero Town Council demanding Shs15m allegedly embezzled by a sub-county party registrar.

The party mobilisers led by Ms Helen Nsereko, accuse party leaders of forging signatures of more than 100 village NRM party committee members who were meant to receive funds disbursed by NRM party secretariat as mobilisation allowance in the recently concluded update of party register exercise.

“The village committee members from the 57 villages in Zirobwe Sub-County did not receive their allowances. We have seen a list with forged signatures, but the members are here to prove that they never signed for that money,” Ms Nsereko said on Tuesday.

The mobilisers presented their complaints to the Zirobwe Sub-county registrar, Ms Halima Nanyombi.

Mr Davis Ssekamate, a party mobiliser from Wabitungulu parish in Zirobwe Sub-county, said the NRM party officials had failed to respond to their constant petitions yet all party mobilisers from other sub-counties received their allowances early August.

They threatened to mobilise members to boycott all party activities if the secretariat fails to address their concerns.

Mr Ssekamate said Ms Nanyombi went into hiding. Efforts to get Nanyombi on telephone failed since her known mobile phone number was not available.

According to Mr David Kamugisha, the district NRM party registrar, the party disbursed the funds to Zirobwe Sub-county through the sub-county registrar, who later submitted a list of all mobilisers in Zirobwe acknowledging receipt of their allowances.

“ If it is true that the signatures appearing on the list are false, the affected party members should file a case against the registrar and notify the party officially. Insulting everyone will not help because not all people here handle money issues,” Mr Kamugisha said.

Luweero District NRM party chairman Abdul Nadduli blamed the aggrieved members for hurling insults at him yet the party officials never notified him about the funds.

NRM treasurer Rose Namayanja said the party has registered complaints regarding funds and action will be taken against culprits.