ACCOUNTABILITY WOES: WHO IS TELLING TRUTH REGARDING DISPUTED NRM PARTY CAMPAIGN FUNDS IN ARUA CITY

Arua City Boda-Boda Association Executives and Arua Central Division NRM Executives addressing Press Conference at Arua City Hall concerning the accountability issued by Arua City NRM Chairperson (All photos by Onzoma Albert).

By Onzoma Albert

Arua City

Arua Central Division NRM Chairperson and Arua City Boda-Boda Association dismissed accountability claims regarding disputed NRM Party campaign funds by Arua City NRM Chairperson Hon Sr Bakoko Bakoru Zoe, opposing her financial breakdown.

Arua City NRM Chairperson Hon. Sr. Bakoko Bakoru Zoe last week dismissed allegations that she mismanaged UGX 147 million reportedly meant for boda-boda riders to transport sick people, the elderly, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and other vulnerable voters during the January 2026 general elections.

Swadick Amaku, Arua city Boda-boda Association Chairman, accused Arua city NRM leaders of mismanaging up to UGX 147 million, which they claim was sent by the NRM Secretariat to facilitate transport and mobilization during the general elections.

“There is money that was called boda-boda transport per cell which is UGX 300,000 for the 469 cells in Arua City which is supposed to be UGX 147 Million, that is the money we are talking about and if they talk about boda-boda transport which boda-boda’s did you use and for what, you went to use my people without my notice now we want the accountability of that money,” he said.

Rashid Yufu Kube, Arua Central Division NRM Chairperson, expressed support for the boda-boda association’s call for accountability and suggested that Arua Central Division should operate independently from the city NRM hierarchy.

“I do not honor the current NRM Chairperson of Arua City and where did that money come from the UGX 12 Million if you say boda-boda’s are not part of NRM structures and not having shares of the missing UGX 147 Million” he said.

The tension escalated following a visit and intervention by Local Government Minister Hon. Balaam Barugahara, who met with the aggrieved riders during his visit in West Nile region.

Arua City NRM Chairperson with her executives addressing press conference and issuing accountability concerning the disputed UGX 147 Million.

During a media briefing, Bakoko stated that the boda-boda groups are classified as pressure groups rather than official party structures, meaning they were not the intended recipients of the bulk mobilization funds.

“We have the disciplinary committee in the secretariat and central executive committee who address the issues of NRM and now I am taking this issue to them, because they know they did not give me money for boda-boda’s and how much money they gave for the boda-boda’s, they know how we were supposed to use the money for vote protection and mobilization which I am ready to account and explain to the central executive committee” she said.

She clarified that Arua city boda-boda association only received an initial UGX 4.8 million split across three divisions, followed by an additional UGX 12 million distribution, while maintaining that the larger sums were meant for vote protection and formal cell-level party mobilization structures across the city’s 469 cells rather than individual riders.

Members of the association rejected the explanation and ongoing accountability figures, maintaining that promised campaign facilitation funds were diverted or unaccounted for by Arua city NRM administrators.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis