By Patrick Okino
A section of leaders from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Oyam District has accused district party officials of mismanaging over Shs350 million meant to support campaign activities and polling operations.
Led by Jimmy Otim, the NRM chairperson for Minakulu Sub-county, the group claims that the funds—released in three phases—were intended to facilitate sub-county and parish chairpersons, venue preparations, village conferences, public address systems, and boda boda transport for voter mobilization. However, they allege that a significant portion of the money never reached the intended beneficiaries.
The leaders were briefing the media at Oyam Town Council over the alleged mishandling of campaign funds released by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretariat after their request for the accountability hit a snag.
About 35 leaders attended the briefing, including league chairpersons representing various groups such as the youth, elderly, women, and persons with disabilities.
Otim said allocations included payments for 100 boda boda riders, each expected to receive Shs40,000 to mobilize voters. He further alleged that Shs327 million was later released to transport special interest groups to and from polling stations.
According to him, each of the 1,093 villages in Oyam was supposed to receive Shs300,000,but part of the funds were allegedly “swindled” and did not reach grassroots structures.
“They were saving money in every phase of the release,” he said.
He said efforts to report the matter to police have reportedly stalled as they were initially advised to open a general inquiry file.
Otim said when they approached the District Police Commander he allegedly asked them to wait pending consultations with the Resident District Commissioner.
He claims there has been no feedback from the police since, raising suspicions among them.
He added that they plan to petition the National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretariat to intervene in the matter for purpose of investigation and compel party leaders to provide accountability for the funds.
Tonny Ocen Okello, the party secretary for finance in Oyam Town Council, alleged that the last funds released by the party secretariat did not reach the grassroots as intended.
“What I know as the secretary for finance is that in the last release, where each village was supposed to receive sh300,000, none of us is aware of it, and even the village chairpersons are not aware,” he said. He added that the town council has 35 villages, but only two reportedly received the funds.
Ocen further alleged that he received credible information indicating that the chairpersons in the beneficiary villages did not distribute the money to their 60 members as required.
“It is what led to the failure of our candidates in both the parliamentary and Local Council Three elections,” Ocen said, adding that information about the alleged mismanagement reached the grassroots, prompting voters to cast protest votes.
He appealed for a restructuring of the party leadership to better serve the interests of the people of Oyam, rather than what he described as leadership focused on a select group. He also accused the administrative secretary and the chairperson of being key figures in the alleged mismanagement of the funds.
In a circular by the NRM Secretary General, Richard Todwong to NRM chairpersons, he indicated allocation of funds to the village baraza meeting and mobilization drives, parish based grassroots mobilization and facilitation for vote protection including funds for the transportation of special interest groups to and from the polling station.
The facilitation were released on 28th November 2025, 11th January 2026 and lastly 13, January 2026 respectively.
Todwong said in the communication that the party has released funds to facilitate NRM Presidential Flag-bearer`s polling agents and aid the coordination and transportation of voters with critical attention to special needs persons to the polling stations on polling day for Presidential and parliamentary.
“Please desist from any diversion or misappropriation of the funds, for this shall attract criminal charges,” the circular reads in part.
‘Misuse of funds behind NRM failure’
Philips Ogile, former party publicity said the mismanagement of the funds was the main factor why most of the NRM didn’t make it in the just concluded general elections.
He said people were already aware of the money being released but to their surprise, most of them didn’t touch.
“That is why people voted against NRM parliamentary candidates because they were already aware of the corruption in the system,” said Ogile, the LC3 of Abok sub county said.
In the 15th January 2026 elections, Oyam secured one parliamentary seat (Oyam South) and both district woman member of parliament and Oyam North were all taken by the Uganda People`s Congress, MPs Santa Sandra Alum Ogwang and Dr Eunice Apio Otuku respectively.
Ogile said out of 16 sub counties, the party only secured eight positions leaving the rest to UPC including the district LC5 chairperson (Nelson Adea).
He called upon the National party chairperson President Yoweri Musveni to intervene and fight corruption in the administration of NRM in the district.
“Government is talking of fighting corruption, let us begin from our house because what happened in Oyam has also happened in other districts,” Ogile added.
Defeated NRM candidate financing confusion
An attempt to obtain comments from the district NRM chairperson Bosco Onyik Ogwal was unsuccessful as he could not pick several calls made.
But the NRM administrative secretary who also doubles as the spokesperson Bismarck Olang said the money released was specifically to mobilize votes for President Museveni and was properly utilized.
He rubbished the allegation saying it was being financed and fueled by a parliamentary candidate who was defeated in the elections.
He added that out of 16 NRM sub county chairpersons only three are complaining and they are being hired to blackmail the party leadership in the district.
“It is a confusion being facilitated by a person who was defeated,” Olang said emphasizing the money was released with guidelines to mobilize votes for the President.
He said he was shocked and surprised after President scoring huge percentage in Oyam and some people came out and started saying they have misused the fund, how would then President scored such percent if the money was misused?.
He added by scoring good percentage, shows that the money was properly used and the mobilization was so perfect.
“Our problem is that a person who was defeated and wanted to revenge at the expenses of the party,” he added.
She is even paying talk shows to facilitate people she hired to blackmail and discredit the leadership of NRM.
He noted because of their efforts and utilization of the funds, eight NRM councilors went unopposed, President Museveni scored over 80%, secured 21 district councilors out of 34 and lastly since the district was carved from Apac district it has never had NRM representative in parliament.
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