Oyam, Uganda | The district offices of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Oyam District have been shut down by party supporters following a prolonged dispute over alleged mismanagement of party funds.
The usually busy office was locked earlier this week after supporters accused district party leaders of failing to account for funds meant for mobilization during the recently concluded elections.
The aggrieved members say repeated efforts to seek accountability have gone unanswered.
Jimmy Otim Okech, Chairperson of NRM in Minakulu Town Council and lead petitioner, said supporters had reached a breaking point after submitting a formal petition to the NRM Secretariat more than two weeks ago without receiving a response.
“We have decided to lock the office to ensure that issues of corruption and misuse of office are stopped. The office will remain closed until the Secretariat organizes fresh elections,” Otim said.
He further alleged that some influential figures within the Secretariat could be shielding district leaders accused of wrongdoing.
Otim also claimed that the office had been neglected, at one point being used to keep poultry, and that no official meetings had been held since the presidential elections.
The closure comes against the backdrop of declining performance by the party in Oyam.
In the last elections, the NRM lost two parliamentary seats, the LC V chairperson position, ten LC III chairperson seats, and the mayoral seat for Oyam Town Council.
Supporters have attributed these losses to weak leadership and poor management of party affairs.
Maxwell Edwok, the Oyam District Youth Council Chairperson, backed the move, describing it as a necessary step to safeguard the party’s integrity.
“We are declaring war against corruption in Oyam. We want leaders who will take us forward, not those who train us in corruption,” Edwok said.
Attempts to resolve the standoff through mediation led by the Resident District Commissioner and security officials reportedly failed after the accused leaders did not attend scheduled meetings.
Supporters have now vowed to escalate the matter to higher authorities, including the Office of the National Chairman, if the NRM Secretariat does not intervene.
They insist the office will remain closed until their demands accountability, investigations, and fresh elections are addressed.