Two arrested in Amuru over missing NRM village mobilisation funds
The suspects, Geoffrey Ojera, the NRM administrative secretary for Amuru District, and Martin Oyet, the district secretary for finance, are being investigated for allegedly diverting funds released by the party.
Aswa West Regional Police spokesperson, David Ongom Mudong. (File photo)
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Police in Amuru District, on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, arrested two National Resistance Movement (NRM) officials accused of mismanaging funds meant to facilitate mobilisation ahead of Women Council and LC1 elections.
The suspects, Geoffrey Ojera, the NRM administrative secretary for Amuru District, and Martin Oyet, the district secretary for finance, are being investigated for allegedly diverting funds released by the party.
The arrests followed complaints by George Willy Oketayot Orindi, the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) Coordinator for Amuru District, after several party leaders reported receiving less money than had been allocated from their respective sub-counties.
According to Orindi, Pabbo sub-county, allocated sh9.7 million, received only sh8.1 million.
Lamogi sub-county was short by sh1.4m, Pogo by sh540,000, Opara by sh650,000, and Elegu Town Council package was less by sh400,000.
This means that the total unexplained shortfall is sh3.05m.
Orindi further alleged that LC1 flag bearers from Amuru's 203 villages, each entitled to sh20,000 for mobilisation, were instead paid only sh10,000. He claimed that more than sh2 million meant for the beneficiaries was unaccounted for.
"Some sub-counties that collected their money early received the full allocations, but those that picked theirs later found that part of the money was missing without any explanation," Orindi said.
He said the complaints prompted him to report the matter to Amuru Central Police Station, leading to the arrest of the two officials. Police reportedly recovered sh3 million from the suspects during the operation.
Preliminary police findings indicate that although the NRM released sh60m to facilitate grassroots mobilisation activities in Amuru, some of the funds did not reach the intended beneficiaries.
Investigators suspect that sh2.9 million was diverted from sh6.3 million earmarked for allowances and transport refunds for Women Council leaders.
The arrests come just two days after NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong directed police in the Acholi sub-region to arrest party officials found to have misused funds intended for village barazas and the facilitation of the Women Council and LC1 flag bearers.
While meeting NRM leaders and security officials in Acholi on July 19, Todwong said the party would not tolerate the misappropriation of mobilisation funds and insisted that all money released by the party must reach its intended beneficiaries.
His directive followed a wave of complaints from party leaders in several districts, including Gulu, Lamwo, and Apac, over the alleged mismanagement and failure to account for funds released for previous party activities, including the 2026 general elections.