Ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) will not be dragged in petty and uncalled for internal and external fights, says Rogers Mulindwa, the party’s publicist.
According to Mulindwa, NRM and its secretariat are focused on manifesto implementation and other activities aimed at improving the welfare of Ugandans.
He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Plus News, in relation to media reports that more than Shs2 billion that belonged to NRM was stolen last month at the home of the party’s national treasurer, Ambassador Barbra Oundo Nekesa, in Muyenga, Kampala.
According to police, the robbery occurred on the night of December 5, 2023, when four police officers collaborated with counterterrorism policeman Michael Wango, who had been guarding the residence for the past one and a half months, and forced themselves in the house, and walked away with the money.
Ambassador Nekesa, who was alone in the house, would the following day report theft of Shs 41 million. However, she later discovered, upon her husband Mafabi’s return, that Shs 2.2 billion had also been stolen.
However, in what seems to be a deliberate and syndicated move, both social and mainstream media ignored the fact that the Shs2.2 billion belonged to Ambassador Nekesa’s husband, a businessman, and instead created an unfounded claim that it was party’s money.
This authoritative news website has since established that Business magnate, Hajji Suleiman Mafabi Lumolo, had taken his money at home to accomplish some business transactions.
Now, Mulindwa notes that the party did not lose any of its money, describing the reports as a smear campaign against the party and its national treasurer.
“Why are people hellbent on tarnishing Amb. Nekesa and the NRM? What do they intend to achieve in propagating such unfounded claims?” asked Mulindwa.
“Whatever their motive is, the smear campaign and blackmail of our Secretariat Senior staff will not divide us. We are focused on manifesto implementation and other party activities. In fact, very soon, we will roll out field works,” he adds.
It is anticipated that those championing the false claim of lost money belonging to the the NRM want to portray Ambassador Nekesa as a reckless and incapable being to the extent that she carries such huge sums of party money in cash to her home, thus creating mistrust among members of the Secretariat and the supporters.
This, Mulindwa insists, will not happen. He says they, as a party, have serious business to handle, not petty wars advanced by either enemies of the party or individuals within NRM fighting Ambassador Nekesa.
“We have a manifesto to implement in the remaining time on our 5-year, and 2026 is also here. Our money is intact, and not even a coin was lost. We are too busy to allow selfish individuals to divert us,” Mulindwa reiterated.
“In what seems to be a deliberate and syndicated move, both social and mainstream media ignored the fact that the Shs2.2 billion belonged to Ambassador Nekesa’s husband, a businessman, and instead created an unfounded claim that it was party’s money.
Earlier this month, NRM announced that they started on the journey towards the 2026 general elections by initiating the cleaning of its membership register.
NRM Secretary General, Richard Todwong, expressed confidence in the party’s steadfast commitment to retaining power in the upcoming elections.
Todwong outlined the party’s strategy, emphasizing outreach to every village in the country to authenticate and clean their members’ register.
The NRM aims to register 2.5 million grassroots leaders during this process, aligning with the Electoral Commission’s activities in preparation for the 2026 elections.