By Nasser Kasozi Akandwanaho
The Administrator of the Office of the National chairman of the national Resistance Movement (NRM) at Kyambogo Mr. Faruku Kirunda, has rubbished allegations that ONC unfairly distributed the Shs4bn meant for facilitating party activates a head of 2021 polls.
Kirundi in an Exclusive Interview with the Homeland Newspaper said that ONC had genuinely and fairly distributed the said funds as it was planned by the working Committee,
He provided documentary evidence which included; Guidance letter from the presidential assistant and the ONC Payment Details which indicated how the funds were distributed.
“It is true we received the money but with guidelines and my work was to implement, basing on the guidelines. I want to assure you that each district got the money,” he said adding,
“We are facilitating our teams in order for our teams to get some airtime to mobilize others,”
He noted that the money that was allocated to his office was not even enough as compared to the tasks that await them, “We disbursed funds totaling to Shs3.95bn,” he added.
Last week, a group of disgruntled NRM coordinators including; Media Panelists, District, Sub County, and Village Coordinators accused officials at the Office of the National Chairman [ONC] for deliberately mishandling the funds that were meant to facilitate them as they campaign for president Yoweri Museveni, who is also the party official presidential candidate.
Some of the coordinators and media panelists who preferred anonymity told the Homeland Newspaper, last week that the Kyambogo ONC Office had unfairly facilitated them to perfectly do their mobilization work yet they had been promised money for operations on time.
Kirunda while presenting the documental evidence said all these allegations are not true.
According to the letter dated December 18, 2020, from Milly Babirye Babalanda, the Presidential Personal Assistant that was addressed to all Presidential Vote Protectors, Media Teams and Stakeholder, and seen by The Homeland Newspaper, Museveni equally directed how the funds should be delivered and managed from the Village to Zonal levels.
“The five Village Presidential Vote Protectors are required to undertake massive door to door campaign for NRM support, mobilize voters to vote NRM on 14th January, 2021 and make a list of residents in your villages who are genuinely willing to vote for candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and then share data with the sub-county coordinator,” reads part of the letter,
According to the letter, the Village Team was supposed to receive Shs50,000 of which Shs10,000 was to cater for coordination and transport of the team and Shs40,000 to be divided amongst the five members for their welfare.
“Each District Team will receive Shs1,200,000 for coordination, airtime, and welfare. The District Coordinator will supervise the sub-county coordinators,” adds the letter.
According to the letter, Each of the four members of the District ONC will receive Shs100,000, and Shs100,000 to be spent on welfare during briefing and meetings and the Shs100,000 will be spent on Transport to deliver money from Zone to the district.
The letter notes that each Zonal and Deputy PVP Coordinator will receive shillings one million. “All those receiving money from zonal to village level; must sign for the money.
Acknowledgment sheets will be collected and submitted to the zonal PVP Coordinator who in turn will submit to the headquarters,” the letter said.
The zonal Regional Focal Point persons who are required to supervise all zones under electoral regions shall receive Shs5m.
The media panelists are required to inform the public about the achievements of NRM in their respective districts and counter opposition lies, according to the letter.
“All media panelists are required to occupy the media waves in this remaining period to the Elections and to greatly emphasize that our candidate Y. K. Museveni is the last man wearing a hat on the ballot paper,” the letter said
“Media panelists will receive Shs300,000 to cater for their transportation and welfare,” it adds
Kirunda shared the ONC Payment Details Document, where his office disbursed over Shs3.95bn to 70,519 Village Teams in 2,190 sub-counties in 146 NRM districts.
“The balance is being used to purchase materials which will be used during elections,” Kirunda said.
On the allegations that the coordinators did not receive trainings, Kirunda termed the allegations as mere rumors that tries to derail the party works and activities.
It should be noted that Babalanda’s letter required the Village PVP Coordinators to chair meetings with all village teams on December 23, 2020 and brief them about the activity before kick starting their tasks.
“We had a master plan but we faced the funding huddles so we adjusted the plan and had to reduce the numbers due to covid-19,” he said.
Kirunda said that the trainings were done on Regional, District, Sub County and Village Levels and that all districts, zones and villages have all received the monies for mobilization, issues concerning accountability this is all clear. Said Kirunda.
Kirunda further noted that allegations and accusing each in NRM will not end, his office is doing the right thing at the right time, no one will have enough money to run campaigns he asks NRM party members to be patriotic and work for the transformation struggle of this country instead of working to get money.
“I have asked our party coordinators to deal with reliable, dependable and patriotic carders to work from the party not hungry persons”
He said one must demonstrate to be carder than considering money in order to serve the party activities.
Kirunda said that at this time all the office bearers must sparingly use party donations to good use than moving around complaining without questioning their contribution to the party.
Museveni is seeking the sixth term after successfully dominating the country’s helm for almost 35 years.
