Thousands of National Resistance Movement (NRM) mobilisers from Southwestern Uganda have appealed to party chairman President Yoweri Museveni to intervene in a dispute over alleged unpaid campaign facilitation.
The mobilisers, operating under a group known as “Team Peace Rugambwa Door-to-Door Mobilisation for NRM Flag Bearers,” claim they were not compensated for their work during the recent general elections despite playing a significant role in mobilising support for NRM candidates in the region.
The group, drawn from 12 districts including Rukungiri, Kabale, Ntungamo, Kanungu, Kisoro, Bushenyi, Sheema, Isingiro, Mitooma, Rubanda, Rukiga and Rwampara, says it helped secure strong support for President Museveni and other NRM flag bearers in Southwestern Uganda.
In a petition dated May 1, 2026, the mobilisers asked President Museveni to step in and ensure that they receive the money they claim was promised to them during the campaigns. Copies of the petition were also sent to top NRM officials, including the party’s vice chairperson, secretary general, treasurer, western region vice chairperson and district party chairpersons in the region.
Collins Mumpe, who identified himself as the head of the advance team and coordinator for Mitooma District, said the mobilisation structure was formed after meetings with Peace Rugambwa, who allegedly promised facilitation allowances at different levels of coordination.
According to Mumpe, parish coordinators were promised Shs20,000 per day, sub-county coordinators Shs50,000, constituency coordinators Shs100,000, while district coordinators were allegedly promised up to Shs3 million.
He said many mobilisers sacrificed time from their jobs during the campaign period expecting payment after the elections, but claim they were later ignored.
The group says more than 4,200 mobilisers are demanding payment amounting to over Shs2.4 billion. They further allege that information available to them suggests the funds were released but never reached the intended beneficiaries.
Centenary Bamwine, the coordinator for Rwampara District, said the mobilisers did not sign formal agreements because they trusted the arrangement that had been presented to them.
However, when contacted, Peace Rugambwa denied some of the claims and said the funds in question had not yet been released. She added that President Museveni was aware of the matter and asked the mobilisers to remain patient as efforts continue to resolve the issue.
Rugambwa also questioned the involvement of some individuals mentioned in the petition, saying she did not directly work with all of them during the mobilisation activities.