NRM members pin leaders over fees

Oct 13, 2010

LWENGO District National Resistance Movement (NRM) members have asked their leaders to explain why they paid for nomination forms before registering for the recent party elections.

By Ali Mambule

LWENGO District National Resistance Movement (NRM) members have asked their leaders to explain why they paid for nomination forms before registering for the recent party elections.

The members, who met at Kyazanga town council hall on Monday, said they were disappointed by the party officials, especially the electoral commissioners, for demanding money from them.

The meeting, which was convened by the district party chairperson, Hajji Muhammad Muyanja Mbabaali, was meant for the winners at the village, parish and sub-county levels.

“Those who were contesting for the LC1 chair were asked to pay sh5,000 for nomination forms, sh7,000 for LC2, while councillors and the LC3 chairperson paid sh20,000 for forms,” said Willy Menya, the speaker for Kyazanga sub-county council.

He told Mbabaali that those who did not have money to pay for the forms were denied the chance to be nominated.

Menya added that what worried the members most was that the money they paid was not receipted.

“We were told that the money would help in running the party affairs, including paying the registrars and other NRM electoral officials,” he said.

“If that money had been used for that purpose we would not have complained. But it is shocking to learn that most of the officials who conducted the elections were not paid,” Menya noted.

The district NRM vice-chairperson, Vincent Kaitana, said he was ‘over powered’ by the registrars when he tried to stop them.

Mbabaali criticised those who asked for money from contestants.

“I did not know that you people were made to pay any money. President Yoweri Museveni, the party national chairman, gave Lwengo district sh15m to conduct the elections,” he said.

Mbabaali added that he would institute an inquiry into the matter.
He said the people who had access to the party funds will be required to account for them.

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