After Accountability Query-based Blacklist By Rich Donors, NUP Resorts To Needy Local Pockets

The National Unity Platform (NUP), led by Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, has taken a drastic turn in its funding strategy, resorting to needy public local fundraisers following a mass blacklist by foreign donors over failure to provide satisfactory accountability for the hefty funds received by the party leaders over the last close to five years now.

Sources close to the party headquarters at Kavule revealed that the decision to go local was prompted by donors’ demands for full accountability, which the party leadership failed to meet.

The party’s reliance on foreign donors, including Ugandans in the diaspora and Western nationals, had been its lifeline.

However, according to the source, donors grew skeptical about the use of funds, alleging that party leaders diverted money meant for the struggle against the government to luxurious personal lifestyles of Kyagulanyi-led leadership.

Investigations by donors uncovered gross conflict of interest, including the use of party funds to enrich top officials and pay advocates without transparency.

One notable example is the alleged connivance between the party president and Secretary General to pay PACE Advocates, owned by the party’s top officials; the treasurer, and the Secretary General using party funds under the guise of defending prisoners.

This practice, according to the source, was described as “open corruption and a clear conflict of interest.”

The party’s financial woes deepened when Ugandan donors in the diaspora questioned the use of funds raised during public events, such as the muda ku muda (10,000 to 10,000) campaign which was embraced by both local, and international party supporters.

The salt was threw in the fresh wound when MPs also raised concern and the Shs10M each Member of Parliament was asked to surrender from their car grant shortly after assuming their offices in May 2021, with no accountability provided.

The same MPs, it is said, the party’s quarterly allocation of over Shs700M from the government also raised questions about accountability and transparency.

Desperate Times Call Desperate Measures

With foreign funding drying up, NUP has turned to local fundraising efforts, sparking concerns about the party’s long-term sustainability and effectiveness.

Critics argue that this move may exacerbate existing concerns, as local supporters demand greater accountability and transparency in the party’s financial dealings.

Insiders claim that party leaders are extorting exorbitant amounts from timid party members vying for positions considering that many of them have already submitted their expression of interest forms to the party’s Electoral Management  Committee (EMC), with the presidential candidate slot already ring-fenced for a party leader Kyagulanyi afraid of any form of internal competition.

This has led to suspicions that the fundraising drive is aimed at exploiting aspiring candidates financially before announcing party ticket holders.

The diaspora’s decision to stop funding NUP was prompted by these concerns, leaving the party financially strained.

With mounting financial constraints, NUP is now relying on local fundraising efforts to stay afloat. However, the party’s future remains uncertain, as questions about its financial management and accountability continue to plague its leadership.

As the party navigates this financial challenge, its leadership is under scrutiny for prioritizing personal interests over the party’s well-being.

The party’s financial struggles have also raised questions about its ability to effectively challenge the ruling NRM government.

Critics argue that the party’s desperation for funds has led to a downward spiral, with its leadership willing to do whatever it takes to stay in opposition control.