NUP collects UGX 117M for nomination fees

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   The National Unity Platform [NUP] has said that it was able to collect 117 Million Shillings from well-wishers which they will use to pay for the nomination fees for its parliamentary aspirants. 

The nomination of parliamentary candidates’ kicks off tomorrow at all district Electoral Commission offices across the country. 

Joel Ssenyonyi, the spokesperson of NUP said that the money although not sufficient to cover the fees of all their aspirants, is testimony that Ugandan’s are participating in bringing about change in the country. 

A few days ago, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the President of NUP posted on his social media pages a call for contribution from change seeking Ugandans to support his party’s flag bearers.  

“We are receiving so many calls from candidates especially in Western and Northern Uganda who risk not being nominated because they don’t have the required 3 Million Shillings. As you all know, Gen. Museveni and his regime made it so expensive to nominate candidates simply to lock out the opposition…we have seen so many candidates who had wanted to run for MP but they simply cannot afford this money,” Kyagulanyi wrote on October 8. 

He added that given that his party was barely three months old, they were unable to pay the nomination fees for all their candidates hence called upon all those who can assist to do so in any way they could.  

Ssenyonyi defended the idea of crowdfunding saying that not all good leaders are financially stable. Asked about whether these flag bearers who can’t even afford to pay nomination fees will be able to carry out many expensive campaigns, Ssenyonyi said they are optimistic that they will be able to pull through. 

“They are quite very strong on the ground and we are optimistic that they will be able to mount a formidable campaign. But also having money doesn’t translate into being a good leader. You find people who are extremely wealth when they are extremely corrupt,” Ssenyonyi said. 

On the earlier campaign of codenamed Muda ku Muda where the party was urging supporters to contribute at least ten thousand shillings, Ssenyonyi said they were also able to collect a significant amount although he was not in a position to disclose the amount. 

“I need to get the exact figures from the fundraising committee but what I can say, we got some money which we were able to use to open up offices in different parts of the country. But we shall meet with the committee next week when we are done with these nominations and we shall be able to tell Ugandans how much we have collected,” Ssenyonyi said. 

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