Dear Mr. James Anthony Owuya, a famous proverb: “People in Love never entertain rumours” “People in the same struggle never entertain rumours either”. When you chose to believe rumours you become a rumour monger. You deserve better.
Indeed more than two weeks have passed without paying attention to your general inquiry. Not for any ill intent but I have been quite busy hence the silence. It should have been quicker if you called me and asked me to clarify a few things. I would have done so instantly.
According to the Uganda at 50 Nordics Week Project, we have to do evaluation and accountability within two months after implementing the week of activities which ended on the 17th of October when we saw off the last delegate.
We are still in time doing evaluation report, attending to outstanding bills and accountability. It was a big project involving handling 200 delegates of different ages, intellect and interests for over one week. A detailed report is being prepared for members, the stakeholders and the public. However I will answer some of your queries in brief since you seem to be under pressure from certain followers of yours.
It would be miraculous for one to imagine that a young organization like the Uganda Diaspora in Sweden (UDS) would implement such a huge project without expecting several challenges. Perhaps it’s those challenges that some of you think was a CATASTROPHIC FLOP. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion any way. It is your opinion against that of the members of UDS organization.
To say the project was a catastrophic flop is to confirm our reports of detractors that wished the project to flop from its inception. While the detractors did a good job of rumour mongering and conducting political and economic sabotage to their satisfaction, we achieved 99% of the objectives of the projects despite the hiccups, challenges and two postponed activities. We only scrapped off one sports item due to lack of time. We are also on course for achieving the goal members of the organization set to achieve.
We do accept there were shortcomings here and there and we would like to apologize for the inconveniences caused. The organization is young and this project was big while it was the first one we undertook. We have learnt a lot from this experience. There were also problems and mistakes beyond our control as you may note below:
Who are the detractors:
1. It should be noted that unlike the Uganda Diaspora in Sweden which is a non-profit making organization, there are some traditional Ugandan organizations and private companies in Stockholm that usually use the independence day to make money for personal benefits. We approached all of them trying to unite them to do the Uganda at 50 for the benefit of the community but for them, they thought that we were interfering with their business. Credit goes to Buganda Culture Association that remained supportive throughout.
2. Ambassador Joseph Tomusange´s economic and political sabotage: He gave us a blessing to continue and to implement the project but when we refused to succumb to his suggestions of dropping delegates from the opposition, he refused to give us a supporting letter to help us get funding from the Uganda government. He pulled out all the potential sponsors in order to implement a parallel project in the Nordics to kill our own. In fact, the Ambassador did not allow his Embassy staff to come and work with us. We hear that he even tried to pull out MPs from the NRM side. Thank God for listening to our prayers – he is now the outgoing Ambassador. We hope to have better cooperation with the rest of the staff at the Embassy with the incoming ambassador.
3. The conservative “old guards” who think they own Ugandans and that the young generation should never succeed where they failed. They tried to tribalize the whole issue, used primitive intimidating language to scare people that “the Uganda at 50 Nordics was arranged by the opposition and people who intended to participate in the Uganda at 50 Nordics week would be arrested any time they travelled to Uganda”.
Let me answer some of the questions you raised in brief but expect a more detailed public report:
Were the organizers “facilitated” by the Ugandan Government at the tune of UShs 50 million towards these activities: NO We did not get any financial help from Uganda government. This is a fact you can check with the Ugandan Embassy or government.
Did the organizers get some funds from the Swedish State or Stockholm City towards the welfare of the youth who came from Uganda to participate in these activities: the answer is NO, you can check with those agencies.
Money must have been realized from the sale of SOUVENIRS, FOOD (during the Seminars), TICKETS (including the aborted Afrigos Concert), etc.: Souvenirs belonged to schools and they sold them to raise funds for developing the schools. Food was not UDS business. A company (Pepra cosmetics) was contracted to exhibit Ugandan food and to feed the delegates. Whatever money they made was their investment and their benefit. You can ask them.
Ticket sales generated income and that money was meant to meet artists performance fees and some other expenses incurred by the organization. The accountability will soon be given to all members after balancing books with Café Opera.
Afrigo had been contracted to perform for 1 hour and 30 minutes. They played for 1 hour because we lost time. But other artists had performed even though not all of them. We had expected to pay their down payment before they went on stage but we were disappointed by Café Opera management when they said they couldn’t give us money from the money collected that day on the gate! Yet we had been financially overstretched as you will learn from info down here:
Be informed that school children paid only $ 1500 for the entire trip (visa fees, insurance; return ticket, accommodation, feeding and local transport). Much of this money was paid after the deadline and hotel price changed from package price to normal price, causing a serious cash flow problem which members of UDS had to sort out.
You should also note that the children missed the first arrival schedule of 30th September because the school administrators failed to collect letters of consent from the children’s parents. Consequently, we had no time to cancel the boat trip so we lost money that we had deposited for the boat trip.
They arrived on 2nd October and we had to incur more unexpected expenses to accommodate them and feed them in the hotel while all these expenses had been catered for on the planned cruise. We did not only get overstretched financially, we lost a lot of time in the program. A whole session of lectures that would have been done on the cruise had to be squeezed in the program at ABF – crisis management had begun.
Because of flight rescheduling, we lost package price of USD $700 to USD $900; UDS had to cushion the difference. The duration of their stay had to be extended for two days causing more costs on accommodation and feeding. Some of them had their stay extended for 5 days due to lack of bookings on flights.
Be informed that the other adults paid $2000 for (visa fees, insurance; return ticket, accommodation, feeding, local transport, conference and entertainment). Most of them were late in paying the money because they had fears that perhaps, they would not get visas. Some of them paid by instalments and are yet to pay the remaining balance.
Further, we had to raise the performance down payment for Eddy Kenzo, Bushoke and Vampino but one Randy Ssozi, who claimed management of the Artists, chewed the money and they refused to perform. This was part of the sabotage we faced. We have no debts with any artists. By the time Eddy Kenzo, Bushoke and Vampino left Sweden, they had known the truth but it was too late. We are in the process of recovering the money! DJ Jackson of Bukiv Entertainment who became their last promoter can bare us witness.
In addition to causing the Eddy Kenzo, Bushoke and Vampino crisis, Randy Ssozi tried to extend the crisis to Afrigo band. But the Afrigos realized there was something seriously wrong with her so they accepted the down payment we raised, went on the stage and performed for 1 hour. We paid all their performance fees and they went back very happy. It’s not true they were not paid.
Legality of the Organization/mandate:
The Uganda Diaspora organization was legally formed and registered by the Bolagsverket. The organizations number is 802466-8026. You can verify that with Skatteverket or Bolagsverket. The organization is authorized to do such projects like arranging Uganda at 50 as part of its objectives and members mandated the Board to run the Project. The public was duly informed about the formation of the organization and coming up with Uganda at 50 Nordics project.
Nordic members:
Check on the http://www.ugandaat50nordics.com you will see representatives of each Nordic country and their contacts. All this information was given to you as early as June. You may have neglected it, only to be fed by rumour mongers with hidden agendas.
The organization has 1000 members so far and more members are pending approval by the board. The website and e mail are functioning. Perhaps you are using the wrong one.
This is how you can become a member (extracted from the constitution): 6 §. Medlemmar:
Till medlem antas alla personer oavsett medborgarskap, ras eller religion vilka kan väntas följa föreningens stadgar och beslut samt bidra till att förverkliga föreningens ändamål.
Medlemskap prövas av styrelsen efter skriftlig ansökan. Medlem är endast de som är upptagen som medlem i föreningens medlemsregister och har betalat medlemsavgift.
This is the only way one can become a member. Note on receipts. Details on the receipt were for easy administration of the entrance to the music gala. There is no need for us to acquire members illegally.
Accountability:
No taxpayers’ money is involved as rumours have it. The members of UDS are satisfied by the accountability and openness with which the board is handling all the dealings. If there is any member who is not satisfied or has any questions, they are free to contact the chairman or even call an extraordinary general meeting according to UDS constitution.
Resolutions:
As you saw, there was no time on Friday so we extended the unfinished business to Saturday and Sunday. Many delegates and Uganda Diaspora were available and they attended. Records are available. All the people who submitted an e- mail were given a copy. You may have missed the Saturday/Sunday sessions but you were well represented. Not all Ugandans could have been in that meeting anyway. You may not agree with some of the resolution and you can make a minority report on issue by issue. However, we shall make it part of the detailed report we are making. We take the majority view but also respect views of the minority. That’s how democracy works.
The views in the resolution are those of our members, the delegates from different countries and MPs and elders who were present. None of them is complaining. You should have noted that we had 9 elected MPs, elected members of Kampala city council , representatives of civil society and elders from Uganda (NRMO, OPPOSITION AND INDEPENDENT were represented). As we talk they are canvassing support for the resolutions in their political parties and at the Ugandan Parliamentary level so your fear about elected representatives should be put to rest.
I advise you to apply for membership so that you don’t miss out on the subsequent projects and if you are not satisfied by the way the organization is managed, you, as a member, shall vote the leaders of your choice in the Annual General Meeting to be announced in due course. I remain,
Eddie Bazira
Chairman, Uganda Diaspora in Sweden & the Organizing committee
Uganda at 50 Nordics.
Stockholm, Sweden
About the Author
Please MR Eddie Bazira Can you explain (answer) the Question you were asked by Ouya instead of dodging and trying to write an essy back.
Whoever reads your well-crafted essay cannot fail to see your (Uwabunuasi) thinking that by writing such an Essay of how an Organisation works .how many Matokes did Uganda children ate is compleate of Rubbish that nobody wanted to hear.
Answer the real question where ie the Money meant tyo be enjoyed by the People of Uganda &friends v Duiring 50 Nordic .please come out oppen and stop fooling readers Ugandans are equal to none when corruption counts.
The above response by “Eddie Bazira” is quite disappointing to read.
xxxxx xxxxxx is a puppet and does not have the ability and acumen to write such as the above. The truth of the matter is, xxxxxx xxxxx is the brain, author and swindler of UDS.
UDS, please don’t look for scapegoats, for, you failed completely and shamed diasporans in the Nordics especially in Sweden.
The excuse of UDS of being an infant organisation is not valid because you had all the time to plan (with the tenecity of your executive committee), market, liaise with xxxxx xxxxxx in Danmark e.t.c.
Please stop tarnishing the young girl’s name (xxxxx). xxxxxx xxxxx come out clean, admit and apologise for all your dubious, malicious and unpatriotic shortcomings other than character assasinating and misleading others.
KSB: Peter, please, note that mentioning names of individuals adversely without evidence could led to legal action against you. Your comment has therefore been reducted.