Opposition political party, FDC has denied reports that money worth Shs 200 million went missing from the party’s coffers with no clear explanation.
Reports emerged in the media that the said money which was recently released by the Electoral Commission to the FDC bank account held in DFCU Bank is unaccounted for.
The issue came up during the FDC National Executive Committee meeting after a disagreement broke out on whether to spend the money on the rent arrears or other party activities. As the constitution demands, government funds political parties that have Parliamentary representation according to their numerical strength.
The FDC which is Uganda’s strongest opposition party receives Shs 3 billion annually, but when the Shs 200 million was released to the bank, it was withdrawn and unaccounted for.
Some accounts allege that FDC Secretary General, Nandala Mafabi connived with the party’s Chief Administrative Officer, Rose Nassanga to withdraw the funds without the approval of the FDC top organ.
It is believed that Nandala Mafabi used the money to settle the debts accrued by FDC in a building he owns, which the party had rented for activities of The Democratic Alliance (TDA), an alliance formed by opposition political parties prior to the 2016 general elections.
The FDC Presidential Press Secretary and Publicist for the Women’s League, Sarah revealed to this website that TDA members signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nandala to rent his premises and FDC signed on behalf of the tenants but FDC would later pull out from the Alliance leading to its collapse.
At the time, the party had paid Shs 50 million with a balance of Shs 60 million.
“The property belongs to Nandala and the wife, they have been patiently requesting for the pay but members have promised to clear the debt in instalments and no money has been paid yet,” she said.
She said that when Mafabi raised the concern over the rent arrears during the NEC, some members asked him to wait since he is a senior party member.
The magnitude of distrust and lack of cohesion between Mafabi and other FDC officials is further manifested in a November 2017 letter written to Nassanga in which he (Mafabi) expressed his dissatisfaction with what he called “irresponsibility” and “dishonesty”. He faulted her for requesting DFCU bank for a financial statement without his knowledge.
But when contacted to comment on the allegations regarding the ‘missing’ Shs 200 million, Eperu told SoftPower News that this was not true.
“The allegations are very malicious and baseless, the party accounts haven’t been credited with any amount and in any case, the Secretary General is not concerned with the party finances but the treasurer General,” Eperu said.
“No money was misappropriated from the party accounts,” she further told this website on Monday.