Kotido LC1 chairpersons petition RDC over missing NRM presidential candidate’s mobilisation funds

At least 61 LC1 chairpersons in Kotido have early this week petitioned the office of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) to help them get paid.

The local leaders allege that the NRM officials have ailed to pay them the money meant for mobilising votes for President Museveni.

The chairpersons from Nakapelimoru, Kanair and Lokwakiel sub-counties further allege that only shs20,000 of shs320,000 which were meant to transport the vulnerable voters from their homes to the polling stations on the polling day reached them.

The balance of shs300,000, they say, has since vanished in thin air without any clear explanation.

According to the chairpersons, they used their own money to transport the voters on that day expecting a refund but they have instead incurred losses.

Also read: “Besides 86% poll success,” Oyam NRM officials accuse DEC boss Onyik of misusing shs400m

The NRM district treasurer, Emmanuel Keem Napuso, they say, did not pay the shs300,000.

Simon Peter Nangoli of Lokwakieal said they used hired motorcycles to fetch voters with the expectation of getting the refund. He added that some of the boda boda riders who were hired on credit are now giving them endless pressure.

According to him, this will ruin their political career and relationships with their voters.

Kotido Resident District Commissioner Charles Ichogor during the meeting with the chairpersons, said he has taken up the matter and pledged to follow it up until justice is served.

He told the LCs that he will summon the NRM DEC members and other suspects to explain who embezzled the money and whoever becomes the culprit will cough it up or be arrested.

According to a circular from the NRM Secretariat, each village chairperson was allocated shs320,000 to hire bodabodas to help voters especially from distant areas and those with special conditions to reach the polling station.

This was part of the strategy to mobilise votes for President Yoweri Museveni on 15 February.

Keem told tndNews, Uganda that he acted on a resolution by the party’s DEC which instead resolved that that money be used to fuel government vehicles to carry voters to the polling station.