The National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Treasurer Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oundo has disclosed a raft of stringent reforms aimed at ensuring efficient accountability of Party resources.
In an exclusive interview with this newspaper for the International Women’s Day Edition, Amb. Nekesa said that from the time she took over office as the National Treasurer three year ago, a lot has changed as far as the Party Treasury is concerned including prompt salary payments, restoration of the suppliers’ trust by paying off long-term administrative debts, and regular payment of rent for the party offices at districts. Other reforms include ensuring that officials account for party fund; as well as taking a detailed inventory of the party assets.
This newspaper understands that the staff and senior leaders of the party including the top policy organ, CEC, are happy with these radical reforms which are necessary for transparency and safeguarding the party’s funds.
“When I was appointed to this office, I was given a brief by the appointing authority; and that brief included safeguarding the party resources and assets from corruption and abuse. For me am coming from the background of government where I have served for a number of years, and in government every money is accounted for. There are some people who may not be used to this new system of accountability, but for us as Treasury we shall remain non-compromising in our work,” said Amb. Nekesa.
The National Treasurer added that the party receives its funding essentially from the national Consolidated Fund under the IPOD [Inter-party Organisation for Dialogue] arrangement. Government by law is mandated to fund the activities and programmes of political parties under the multi-party dispensation.
“By the fact that we receive our money from Government of Uganda, we wouldn’t wish to be on the wrong side of the law and yet we are the ruling party who should set the example for others. This explains our ruthlessness on accountability,” she said quickly adding, “My office issues quarterly funds to all departments of the national secretariat, and this should follow the same model of accountability before more money is released. The Auditor General is closely monitoring us so we have by all means to comply with the set guidelines.”
Amb. Nekesa applauded the party’s secretary general Richard Todwong and the entire top management for according her the necessary support to carry on with these reforms. “There is nothing much I could do without the support of my colleagues especially the SG. And whenever I would table some of these ideas for reforms at top management meetings, my colleagues have given me the support.”
Staff happy
The staff of the NRM Secretariat could not hide their excitement at the new changes especially the monthly salary which is paid promptly to their bank accounts. “We used to spend six or ten months without salary. There is a time we spent 17 months without salary! But now we are going about our duties with confidence well-knowing that we shall receive our pay on the 28th of every month. Actually, the Treasurer had started paying us on the 15th day of every month until we [as the staff] complained that she should pay us on the 28h, because when you receive money on 15th, by the next two weeks it’s finished,” elaborates Saudha Nankya Ssentamu, the administrative secretary for Buikwe District. She adds: “The Party should consider availing us at districts with vehicles [double-cabins] to ease our movement. This vehicle would become the property of the party.”
Another staff, who preferred anonymity, appeals to the Treasurer to institute a general SACCO for the staff and support it with some seed capital to enable staff borrow in time of need and pay back with some agreeable interest.
“If the NT could establish a SACCO for us and initially capitalize it with Shs 100million, this would help us borrow and pay back. The Treasury should be the one in charge of this SACCO for purposes of proper management and accountability. And when it comes to paying back, the NT would just deduct from our monthly salaries like is the case with other organisations including WAZALENDO SACCO of UPDF.”
Some other staff are calling for medical insurance cover as well as educational support for those who would wish to upgrade their credentials. The good news is that Amb. Nekesa has promised to table all these issues to top management and CEC for discussion. “My office keeps receiving requests from staff on personal welfare issues, we [as NRM Treasury] would find it challenging to help people on individual basis, that is why we are referring all these issues to top management and CEC, and I believe they will be considered,” she said.
Amb. Nekesa also disclosed that the Treasury is reviewing the payroll with the view of rationalizing staff salaries and emoluments. “Now that we have stabilised payment of salaries, our next step is to look into the discrepancies by defining who should earn what. We’ve got staff here who have earned the same rate of salary for over 15 years despite their seniority and experience; this is what we are critically looking into in consultation with CEC,” she emphasized.
Clearing district rent arrears
About two years ago, the Party Treasury embarked on a countrywide verification of district party offices with a view of establishing the rent arrears, condition of the offices, their location and details of landlords. Findings from this exercise suggested that some party offices in districts have been operating in deplorable conditions with accumulated rent arrears, without electricity, running water, toilets, furniture, among others. Information obtained from the Treasury indicates that the Party has cleared all the rent arrears of district offices to zero balance. The party is also building own structures in districts so as to completely eliminate payment of rent to landlords like is the case with the National Secretariat.
Amb. Nekesa is a former Woman MP for Busia District, and also former minister of state for Karamoja affairs. Before her current deployment to the NRM Treasury, Amb. Nekesa was Uganda’s High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa based in Pretoria. She is a renown philanthropist and advocate of women and girl-child empowerment.
