Hundreds of National Resistance Movement (NRM) village leaders from various sub-counties in Namisindwa district demonstrated on Monday over party mobilization funds, claiming they received less money than expected. The leaders, from sub-counties including Bukiabi, Namabya, Mukhuyu, and Bupoto, marched to the district offices demanding the balance of their funds.
Each village was given 300,000 shillings, with 10,000 shillings allocated to each leader—a sum they deemed insufficient. Sam Wandukwa, an NRM leader, said each village was supposed to receive 630,000 shillings. Peter Wamotso added that they would not leave the district until their demands were met.
The leaders cited Namisindwa county Member of Parliament and NRM candidate John Musila, who allegedly announced on Elgon FM’s political talk show Baraza on Saturday that each village would receive 360,000 shillings. However, Charlies Nasimolo, Namisindwa district NRM vice chairperson, condemned Musila’s statements, calling them false and aimed at inciting the community.
He explained that the party pays 30 NRM village leaders 10,000 shillings each, along with 33 leaders from special interest groups, also receiving 10,000 shillings each. Nasimolo said village leaders were trying to claim the entire 630,000 shillings by excluding the special interest group leaders, contrary to NRM headquarters’ guidelines.Musila, meanwhile, defended the protest, questioning why other districts had received higher allocations than Namisindwa. The NRM district vice chairperson was distributing funds to sub-counties that had not yet received them by the time of publishing this story, while demonstrators remained at the district offices.
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