Conned Hoima youth get sh55m Museveni compensation
Team Thorough was a pressure group, which had been formed by young people to mobilise support for President Museveni and strengthen the mobilisation structure for the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Badru Mugabi, Hoima city RCC (left), receiving sh55 million from Henry Wabyona, President’s Private Secretary on Political and Diaspora Affairs (right), as Barugahare, former Bunyoro coordinator, looked on. (Photo by Peter Abaanabasazi)
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President Museveni has compensated a group of Hoima district and Hoima city youth who were defrauded by Team Thorough leaders in 2020.
Team Thorough was a pressure group, which had been formed by young people to mobilise support for President Museveni and strengthen the mobilisation structure for the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
According to the victims, the group conned the youth, promising them that they were going to lobby for motorcycles to be used during campaigns from the State House.
Each victim paid shillings one million, but the motorcycles never materialised.
After the 2021 General Election, the victims petitioned Tofiri Barugahare, who was the NRM campaign co-ordinator for the Bunyoro region, seeking his intervention to recover their money.
In return, Barugahare wrote to President Museveni in 2023 explaining to him how his supporters had been conned and asked him to intervene and compensate the victims.
On December 22, 2023, Museveni directed the State House controllers to pay shillings 55 million to victims. He also directed the Police to open a case against Brian Kataama Kakonge, the accused perpetrator of the fraud.
After the case was opened against Kataama, he was arrested, arraigned before court and sentenced.
However, the victims' prayer for compensation since 2021 were answered at the end of February 2026 when State House officials delivered the shillings 55 million.
The money was delivered by Henry Wabyona, the President’s private secretary on political and diaspora affairs.
Wabyona handed over the money to Hoima Resident City Commissioner Badu Mugabi, who later distributed it to the beneficiaries.
Mugabi lauded the President for being kind and compensating the affected group and promised to distribute the money following a list of people who petitioned court.
He also appreciated the group for being patient, adding that the youth have waited for about five years and they did not use unlawful ways to seek for their rights.
However, he warned the youth against rushing for free things, adding that many people have fallen victim to conmen because of that.
Earnest, a resident of Kasingo cell in Hoima city, commended President Museveni for remembering them, adding that they had lost hope of recovering their money.