Tensions are high at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Secretariat in Kampala as employees are angered by the targeted attacks on the party’s national treasurer Ambassador Barbra Nekesa – a trusted cadre who is a victim of a recent robbery of Ug.Shs.2.5bn.
Numerous sources at the NRM Secretariat have come out to express their support for Nekesa whom they said has restored accountability and prudent spending of party resources in an office which was hitherto considered to be above reproach .
“We used to go for months long without salaries . The previous occupants of that office didn’t care about the welfare of the staff let alone the wider cadre-ship of the party. When Nekesa came in ,after her appointment by HE Yoweri Museveni the Party Chairman , sanity was restored. Everyone is now happy at the NRM Secretariat . People are paid on time and the party is re-energised.
We are however ,saddened by the fact that our trusted national treasurer Ambassador Nekesa’s known detractors -have now jumped on this unfortunate robbery at her home to attack her by alleging all manner of wanton things to bring her down ,” NRM cadres interviewed by ugandaupdatenews.com publication stated .
It is obvious that like in all political organisations people are constantly jostling for positions of influence and others are interested to catch the eye of the appointing authority to snatch what is considered to be “juicy” positions within the party . And there is no juicer position like that of the national treasurer who is entrusted to dispense with the party’s resources especially money .
Police has issued a statement that about Ug.Shs. 2.5bn was stolen from Ambasador Nekesa’s residence in Muyenga, Kampala. Over 10 suspects including policemen have since been arrested in relation to the said robbery .
Ambassador Barbra Nekesa, who was alone inside the house on December 05, 2023, was attacked by four men identified as police officers Dominic Idro, Rogers Nuwagaba, Sharif Mugoya, and Edgar Arinda. Investigations by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) revealed that the attackers were invited by the counterterrorism policeman Micheal Wango, who had been guarding the home for one and a half months.
Wango learned that Nekesa and her husband Mafabi often kept substantial sums of money in their residence.
It is reported that on the fateful night, Wango disconnected the electricity on the razor fence and altered the direction of the CCTV cameras to avoid capturing the intruders.
“Wango also switched off the lights in one of the corners of the perimeter wall on which the four police officers scaled. He agreed with his colleague to inflict minor injuries on him to disguise it as a robbery by strangers,” stated CID detectives in the report.
Once inside the compound, Arinda, Idro, Nuwagaba, and Mugoya attacked the maids in the boy’s quarters, compelling them to open the main house. The maids, under threat of guns, led the police officers to Nekesa’s bedroom, where they demanded money. “While inside, the group packed the money in five bags and also took an iPhone. They afterwards took the money into the banana plantation where a boda- boda rider Josh Kalinda was waiting for them,” investigators said.
The attackers spent over 10 hours in the compound and, upon leaving, took the DVR for the CCTV cameras to erase any evidence. Ambassador Nekesa initially reported the theft of Shillings 41 million, but when her husband Mafabi returned home, he discovered that Shillings 2.2 billion had also been taken. Forensic experts examined two guns supposedly taken by the robbers and dumped in the banana plantation.
However, the fingerprints found on the guns belonged to Wango, raising suspicion until he confessed after interrogation. Fred Enanga, the Police spokesperson, revealed that the police officers took the stolen money to Nsambya police barracks, where it was distributed. Watson took Shillings 200 million, Kalinda Shillings 20 million, and Mugoya Shillings 230 million.
Additional suspects, making a total of 12, were arrested after they were found sharing money from a sack containing some of the stolen funds. These suspects include Samuel Opio, Patrick Aponyo, Matia Lulangwa, Pallaso, and Masembe.
This is the official position of the police thus far .
Why the unfounded attacks on the person of Nekesa
Some known Nekesa’s haters have now pounced on this unfortunate incident to make wild allegations against the character and person of a trusted NRM cadre Ambassador Nekesa -some even alleging that she had a loose relationship with one of her guards without offering any substantial evidence as required by our laws.
This is simply because Nekesa until this recent incident has been and continues to be a shining star within the party because of her frugal handling of the party’s resources and her keen interest to look after the welfare of staff at the NRM secretariat and wider party cadre -ship that had long been abandoned and forgotten by the leadership at the top echelons of the party .
Nekesa is seen as a strict financial manager- something that does not augur well with the corrupt lot in government and the party .
“She is seen as a threat by the known mafias and wolves that want to steal everything at the expense of the very existence of the party and its popular support across the country . Nekesa’s detractors are the same people who have been failing our party by alienating our supporters and cadre base . They are now using this robbery to bring her down and we are not going to allow them. We are going to fight back,” angry cadres at the NRM Secretariat stated .
An unanswered question
Social media has been awash by claims that Nekesa had huge an accounted for sacks of money in her bedroom but no evidence has been brought forward to prove this. In this digital era one would have expected to see pictures of the alleged “ sacks of money”.
She previously served as the state minister for Karamoja affairs in the Cabinet of Uganda-deputising the First lady Maama Janet Museveni when she held that portifolio. She was appointed to that position on 27 May 2011.
She was born in Busia District in the Eastern Region on 6 June 1984 to Mary Hadudu, mother to nine other girls and Edward Wabudi, a local councillor.
She attended the Bubulo Girls School in Mbale for her middle school education (O-Level) and Mbogo High School in Kawempe for her high school studies (A-Level).
she successfully ran on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) political party ticket for the parliamentary Busia district women’s constituency seat. In May 2011, she was appointed state minister for Karamoja affairs, reporting directly to Janet Museveni, Uganda’s first lady and, at the time, minister for Karamoja affairs.[4]
In November 2015 during the NRM primaries, incumbent Oundo received 28,750 votes while her closest challenger, Nina Irene Nekesa Wandera, received 25,443 votes becoming oen of the youngest female politicians at the age of 27.
