As the country gears up for the 2026 general elections, the NRM Treasurer Amb Barbara Nekesa Oundo says the party has long been preparing for the elections. She spoke to eTop about accountability mechanism for party resources, raising resources for party activities, among others milestones. Excepts below:
“We prepared early for 2026 general elections”
- How would you describe your terms of office as National Treasurer General of the NRM in the last four years?
It has been a very exciting experience from diplomacy to day-to-day management of what l can call the “most sensitive” office in the party administration set up. NRM being a mass revolutionary party which a very elaborate structure and a long history has the biggest membership in the country.
To keep all these in motion and aligned requires financial resource which is never enough. I have a great team and we manage to keep juggling the balls well and focus on not dropping them.
2.The party was previously beleaguered by reports of resource mismanagement a factor which gravely hampered party operations. How have you ensured the safety and accountability of party resources?
Such positions are always peddled by the media to throw the party in bad light. The party has robust financial management mechanism to safe guard its financial resources. We have mechanism of approvals with separation of roles. We are subjected to audits by the Auditor General since we get funding under the political parties and organization Act, I can confidently say we are in a good stead on this.
- 3. What key milestone or reforms has the Treasury under your stewardship registered so far.
NRM Party is an organization that has a very long history. It has been shaped over times by the building blocks many cadres have put onto it. Those who came before me made their contribution and I am proud to have found a strong organization on to which Iam also contributing.
We have been able to streamline our field financial management process by streamlining through the banks. This reduces the risks of cash handling. We leverage on technology in our operations.
- We have commenced the process for the 2026 general elections how is the Treasury ready to finance the party electoral activities?
Yes, we have begun the journey in to the 2026 general elections. The NRM fraternal base is at hand to mobiles strongly for the elections and provide the required resource for the same. This is our fulcrum for our resource mobilization. In addition, the central Government under the political parties and organization Act provides an enhanced allocation during the general elections year to buttress the resource enveloped of the parties to enable their mobilization activities. So, drawing from these two critical sources, we shall be in good shape to keep the wheels turning during the general elections.
- One of the challenges the party has faced in the past is money and the other logistic reaching late especially for mobilization and electoral activities. What have you done about the delay of release of resources?
This time round, we have had early preparations. We have lobbied the government in good time to hasten the enhanced allocation to facilitate the political activities of the party.
- Of late you been actively engaging different stake holders in the East. What was the purpose of these engagements? And what impact will they yield on consolidating support for NRM and President Museveni?
Mobilization is not a start and stop engagement. It is a lifestyle. It is about identifying the legitimate interest of our people and going all the way to enable them meet them. You fight for them. I am the National Treasure of the NRM party and I serve the entire Country and not specifically the East.
However, as Member of the Top Management Team at the Secretariat, we zoned focus areas of attention for effective mobilization and the East falls under my responsibility in this regard. Given the fact that I take mobilization for the party and President Museveni as lifestyle I have no doubt our efforts shall yield overwhelming results in the upcoming general elections. We have given it our whole and certainty we are applying more intensity as campaigns draw near.
- We are marking 39 years of NRM rule, what message do you have for young Ugandans most of whom have been born from the time NRM took power?
The young people are the future of our society. They constitute the biggest demographic block. As the party we recognize this and focus on the developing them to reach their full potential. We strive to listen and understand them so that we can help shape their future. I say to them to live responsibly and ensure they have a set purpose in life.
I implore them to set their priorities right and align them to correct life’s goals. To know there is time for everything and aligning their goals to the right timing. I implore them to understand the rolling livelihood programs that the government has for the youth to empower themselves for social -economic transformation.
NRM Treasurer Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oundo
