Oyam, Uganda | Two National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearers in Oyam District have protested the party’s decision to withhold their campaign facilitation tokens, accusing district leaders of unfair treatment despite their loyalty to the ruling party.
Susan Nyana Olal, the female councillor for Acaba Subcounty and Deputy Speaker of Oyam District Local Government, and Brian Munu, the NRM flag bearer for Iceme Subcounty, say they were denied the facilitation without clear justification.
Speaking to the press, Nyana expressed disappointment, noting that she has consistently supported the party and expected equal treatment like other flag bearers.
NRM Oyam District Chairperson Bosco Onyik Ogwal confirmed in a phone interview that the two did not receive the campaign funds.
He said the decision was based on disciplinary concerns, accusing the flag bearers of diverting support to parliamentary candidates outside the party.
District Administrator and Acting Publicity Secretary Isaac Bismack Olang also acknowledged the denial, clarifying that the funds are still held on the party’s district account.
He explained that the money would only be released after the two appear before the district disciplinary committee.
By press time, Nyana and Munu had pitched camp at the NRM district party offices, vowing not to leave until their matter is resolved.
They maintained that the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) had already cleared them to receive the facilitation, accusing district officials of acting on what they described as baseless grounds.
Munu further told journalists that their names appear in the official NRM campaign curriculum, which he said confirms their eligibility for the facilitation token.
Despite the standoff with district leadership, the two flag bearers have called on voters in their respective constituencies to support them at the polls, insisting that their commitment to serve the electorate should outweigh internal party disputes.
The dispute has heightened tensions within the NRM grassroots in Oyam District, raising broader questions about internal party discipline, fairness, and the balance of authority between district structures and the party’s central organs.
