Comment 12 for bug 262817

not sure why that would have changed for you. current NM definitly ships root as the dhcp user. if thats not the case for you something must have modified your file in the past. Maybe it was you trying something or some script ... hard to track down if we cannot reproduce it.

Maybe a plan would be to install hardy and upgrade to intrepid. if that doesnt reproduce it, try to install
gutsy and upgrade to hardy and upgrade to intrepid ... if still no luck start with feisty ;) .... and so on.