Nakawa East Member of Parliament (MP) and head of the National Unity Platform (NUP) fundraising campaign, Ronald Balimwezo, is facing scrutiny following an internal audit that uncovered a shortfall of UGX 330 million from the party’s campaign account.
The audit was launched amid concerns that state actors may have hacked the party’s mobile money accounts, raising doubts about the security of campaign funds.
However, the investigation revealed a startling discrepancy: UGX 330 million, which had been handed to Balimwezo in cash, was neither deposited into the party’s accounts nor properly accounted for.
A party insider, who requested to remain anonymous, revealed that Balimwezo has been given a two-week ultimatum to return the missing funds or face serious repercussions, including potential expulsion from NUP and legal action.
The source further revealed that Balimwezo’s alleged misconduct could be driven by his increasing frustration with the party. It was previously reported that he faced pressure to relinquish his Nakawa East parliamentary seat to accommodate NUP Deputy Spokesperson Waiswa Mufumbiro, a close ally of party leader Robert Kyagulanyi.
Balimwezo was eventually persuaded to run for Kampala Lord Mayor, only to feel abandoned by the party, which, unbeknownst to him, covertly threw its support behind incumbent Erias Lukwago. Now, some senior NUP officials suspect that the missing funds may be an act of retaliation by the disgruntled legislator.
When reached for comment, NUP Deputy Spokesperson Waiswa Mufumbiro neither confirmed nor denied the allegations, but assured that an official statement would be issued shortly.
This is not the first time NUP has been embroiled in allegations of financial mismanagement. The party has faced several scandals over the years, with leaders consistently failing to offer clear accountability for its fundraising activities.
Most notably, NUP has never provided a full public accounting of the funds raised during its 2020 “Muda Ku Muda” campaign, which garnered millions from supporters. Despite repeated promises of transparency, the party has yet to disclose how the money was spent, deepening suspicions of internal mismanagement.
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