ARUA CITY NRM OFFICIALS TO FACE ARREST OVER CORRUPTION, MISMANAGEMENT OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS

Arua city boda-boda association during protest. File Photo.

By Onzoma Albert

Arua city

The NRM Director of Finance and Administration, Hajjat Medina Naham Ojale, has ordered the police to investigate Arua city NRM officials implicated in the allegations of corruption, mismanagement of campaign mobilization funds and misconduct.

This directive was made during a meeting with NRM officials and the Arua City Boda-Boda Association leadership, where challenges faced during the recent elections were discussed.

Ojale acknowledged issues raised by the boda-boda leaders and emphasized the need for accountability, instructing law enforcement to pursue investigations into resource mismanagement and to identify and prosecute perpetrators.

“We have jointly agreed and instructed the police to follow up the allegations of corruption and mismanagement of campaign mobilization funds by Arua city NRM officials during the recently concluded elections, however we appeal to the NRM officials who have information on some of the issues raised to come up and offer information to the security agencies” she said.

Francis Amaku, chairman of the Arua city boda-boda association, pledged support for police efforts to expose and address the alleged corruption.

“We worked for this money but we did not received the money we worked for but the officials said that the money was given to our association leaders since I am part of the leadership I did not witnessed such money been given to our association, I appeal to our members to cooperate wherever the money let us join hands and find out the culprits of our money” he said.

Meanwhile, NRM Chairperson of Arua City, Hon Bakoko Bakoru Zoe, confirmed through phone call that the funds received for election activities had been handed over to key officials, including the NRM Administrative Secretary James Emvi, Registrars of the city, and the Finance Secretary Beatrice Letasi.

Hajjat Medina, demanded accountability from these officials regarding the disbursed funds, instructing police to investigate and hold accountable those involved.

James Emvi acknowledged that the funds had been received and tasked sub-county registrars with identifying boda-boda riders who would transport voters. However, he declined to reveal the exact amount disbursed to each of the nine registrars.

“We received the money, withdrew it and disbursed to our registrars at seven former sub-counties to identify boda-boda riders to transport the sick and elderly people to go and vote,” he said.

On the other hand, Letasi, denied receiving accountability forms from the NRM Administrative Secretary concerning the funds allocated for boda-boda transportation.

The Arua city Boda-Boda Association has since organized protests demanding transparency and accountability for UGX 234 million purportedly allocated for transporting sick and elderly voters during the election.

The association alleges that the funds, intended to facilitate voter movement, were misappropriated, raising suspicions of corruption among NRM officials.

The situation highlights significant concerns over financial mismanagement within the NRM’s campaign efforts, prompting investigations and public outcry from the boda-boda community demanding justice and clarity on the use of campaign resources.