The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There was drama at Luwero Diocese guest house in Luwero town on Thursday after policemen besieged a meeting called by State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda to arrest district official of National Resistance Movement party who is accused of embezzlement.
Kiwanda who is also NRM vice chairperson for the central region had invited NRM party leaders and former party candidates from greater Luwero districts at Luwero Diocese Guest House to evaluate their performance in the 2021 general elections.
However, as the meeting went on, policemen led by Issa Balikitenda, the Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Department at Luwero Central Police Station surrounded the hotel and ordered one of the participants Zenar Nasur, the district NRM vice chairperson to hand herself in for questioning over a fraud case.
Policemen were tipped off by councillors who accuse Nasur together with party publicist secretary Wasswa Tamale for allegedly embezzling 29 million Shillings which was disbursed by the NRM party secretariat to facilitate candidates for district council positions and their agents on polling day.
The two have been in hiding since January 20, when they allegedly withdrew the money from the bank. But Kiwanda condemned the police for deploying heavily to arrest one person, and added that such actions explain NRM’s dismal performance in the region.
Kiwanda ordered the policemen to vacate the hotel premises and instead call their District Police Commander to reach him. But the police officers refused to heed to his demand leading to a verbal exchange between the policemen and Kiwanda’s aide identified only as Captain Kirumira.
Later, the police officers retreated to a location a stone-throw away from the meeting hall but maintained close watch at entrances to ensure that Nasur doesn’t escape.
At around 5:30 pm after the meeting, Kiwanda pleaded with policemen to allow him to drive Nasur to Luwero Central Police with the police convoy. Kiwanda met the area District Police Commander Abraham Tukundane briefly before surrendering Nasur to the CID detectives for a statement.
As Kiwanda was meeting the DPC, the councillor and youth leaders besieged the police station demanding that Kiwanda leaves the detectives to investigate the accused official.
Doreen Nabukenya, the district female councillor for Katikamu sub-county and Wobulenzi town said Kiwanda’s action clearly indicate that he didn’t want Nasur arrested despite allegations against her. Nabukenya explained that although each of the NRM candidates for councillor positions was supposed to get one million shillings to pay agents on polling day, they never received the money to date.
Fatumah Nakalyango, the district youths councillor says that Nasur is also accused of pocketing money which was released by the party secretariat to delegates during the youths elections. Nakalyango said that Kiwanda was attempting to interfere with police investigations to let Nasur go scot-free.
However, Kiwanda declined to comment and instead jumped into his car registration number UAJ 661X before driving away.
Abraham Tukundane, the Luwero District Police Commander said that Nasur was detained to record a statement on the case of fraud that was allegedly filed against her by councillors.
Last week, Abraham Byandala the Katikamu North Member of Parliament and district NRM party treasurer also recorded a statement in which he said that he signed a cheque and handed it to Nasur to withdraw the money to pay the councillors but was equally surprised to learn that the money was never delivered.
Earlier on, Nasur told our URN reporter that she withdrew the money and used it for mobilization on Local Government elections. Nasur adds that she got the circular after using the money and shared the accountabilities with NRM secretariat.
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URN
Honourable
How is the balance sheet?
Oh, the helicopter and fate of the young men [mowed down by fast moving objects projected from some escort vehicle on Gulu highway], reminded some survivors of the struggle of the state of emergency;’ only that the elephant grass where they hid in the rainy months of May are now scarce!
Honorable
Thus expert collecting response to only pne question
is he/she collecting information from only movement card holders or not?
are there benefits on part of the respondent?
do the respondents have a right to decline and not be penalized?
will he/she obtain informed consent?
will he observe confidentiality?
How will you determine that the responses are genuine/reliable
Already people who are of sound mind are being reported “to be apologizing” for the choice they made despite the intimidating environment on the election day
With regard to service delivery, the local government report to Parliament ( we watch it live sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon) gave an answer long ago
last but not least the best answers would come from people trained to understand behavior of human beings; so those courses are very useful
Simple voters complaints: no food during lock down, did npt get a mask from government, buying medicine for all my diseases (not on government list-the one on that list failed), having all swamps disappearing, getting less money from the market than i invest to grow crops/raise animals, seeing children studying under trees, seeing sick people begging for money on Tv,
Looking at the Baroameter orogramme on the night of 23rd February 2021, i saw the “No.4” very happy
about the court case It reminded me of a house wife who used to capture hens that attempted to lay eggs in
her house, she would bury the feathers in the garden and enjoy her meal. Not until an in-law from a failed
marriage came to stay with the family, did the truth come out in presence of Husband and mother in law. The
garden was being cleared by the new family member, revealing as many burial sites as the missing hens
Incidentally, how far is the fact finding mission?