Fellow Netters, Ugandans and friends of Uganda:
I am very pleased and yet humbled to offer myself as your candidate for PRESIDENT of the Ugandan North American Association, UNAA for the year 2007-2009.
Haile Selassie, the former Emperor of Ethiopia had this to say,
Throughout History, it is inaction of those who could act, And the indifference of those who know better, And the silence of Justice when things mattered most, That has made the evil to triumph".
Haile Selassie's call has never been greater and louder than today within the leadership of UNAA. Our UNAA needs a new face and a new leadership with new ideas. Today, things matter most in the history of UNAA than before and I call upon all those who can act to join our team so that we can provide and deliver services to our members. I present to you my Campaign Platform which is simple, realistic and achievable. It is a campaign based on "thinking outside of the box".
ISSUES
Financial Independence,
Empowerment of the UNAA Local Chapters, De-Politicize UNAA, Immigration Advocacy, Establishment of a UNAA Secretariat, Education, Northern Uganda Conflict.
SOLUTIONS
Financial Independence
Under my leadership UNAA will look at different ways of raising money for financial independence and stability through Corporate Sponsorship instead of remittances from overpriced conventions which exclude many who would otherwise attend this annual event. As the President of UNAA, my strategy within the first 100 days in office will be to compile a list of all the major U.S. and other world Corporations doing business in Uganda for the sole purposed of soliciting UNAA sponsorship commitment. I will also seek sponsorship from companies within the African community in the U.S. and Canada. Within the same period, I will also compile a database of Ugandans here in North America. This can be done by sampling data from the past conventions. Armed with this data, my elected and appointed team will promote our community to these corporations as sponsors. This approach worked well in the past when I was President of the Ugandan Community Organization in California (UCOC) in Southern California. On several occasions our activities were corporate sponsored and we didn't have to overcharge our members for these events. By doing this we will be able to subsidize convention organizing committees and thereby lowering the registration fees encouraging most possible attendance. Today's $200.00 plus registration fee is too much for many of our members and their families especially when they have to fly from far places. UNAA was never intended for the wealthy only and if so, it limits fruitful participation and marginalizes the organization in the long run. Many similar entities in the USA use this approach successfully and maintain strong financial soundness. Why should we be any different?
Empowering of the UNAA local chapters
Support aimed at increasing and retaining active membership. Strong local chapters make up a strong UNAA. I propose amending UNAA Constitution to allow UNAA Board members at large to be elected on a regional basis. North American should be divided into voting regions whereby some members of the UNAA International Board are elected on a regional basis. I propose we allow the following regions: North West, West, South West, Mid West/East, North East, East, and South. Eight new Board Members at large to be elected on a regional basis, this will help in delivering needy services close to the members since these people will have been elected from the regions themselves. It will bring UNAA closer to the members thereby strengthening the Organization while strengthening the local chapters.
Establishment of UNAA Secretariat
After gaining financial independence and empowering local communities, then I propose the establishment of a UNAA Secretariat with a paid staff (fulltime/part-time). The President and his executives need to be facilitated in order for them to travel and market the organization to members and the public. A well focused and visionary leadership will have to be financed and facilitated for it to be effective. By fundraising and raising resources this will be possible to have a paid staff which will help in the day-today operations of UNAA. It is tough and hard for a UNAA President to be effective in today's challenge if he has to pay operational costs from his personal resources all the time. It will bring UNAA closer to the community, strengthening the organization while supporting the local chapters. We cannot expect UNAA officers to be effective if they have to improvise or pay operational costs from the own resources all the time.
De-Politicize UNAA
Although UNAA members belong to different political parties both here and in Uganda, we must refrain from any tendency or temptation to advance political agendas of political organizations from Uganda. UNAA should be neutral whereby all political players from Uganda are welcome and feel at home. We should be a beacon of cooperation, respect and mutual understanding. There is a general concern in our community that UNAA has been compromised and infiltrated by Ugandan Politics. As your elected UNAA President I will confront these concerns openly and explain any rumors that may arise with the sole purpose of making everyone comfortable. I will be able to demonstrate UNAA's neutrality. UNAA's priority is and should be "Ugandans in North America". The organization's ideology should be emphasized and explained periodically.
Immigration Advocacy
(A) Building coalitions with other ethnic communities such as Hispanics.
(B) Utilizing experiences and efforts of US public officials and also lobbying other members of the U.S. Congress to promote inclusion of Ugandans in the proposed Immigration Bill i.e. the guest worker's program.
(C) Lobbying the Executive directly on Immigration issues affecting our people.
This is one issue whereby we can use our contacts and experience for the benefit of our members.
Education
Assisting in the legalization of immigration status for Ugandans with a view of accessing education scholarships and grants for our community. Seeking out those that have experience in the academia to work as mentors for our local chapters who can help research on the best ways we can deliver services to our members. Many of our members are interested in pursuing further education but would benefit from the expertise of those who have gone through the system. I will set up an academic committee comprising of professionals and people in the academia to come up with a comprehensive education program.
Northern Uganda Conflict
And lastly ladies and gentlemen, the problem of Northern Ugandan Conflict can not be ignored as it affects our people and our country. Although, a military solution may be achievable, the Uganda government has been unable to achieve this for years costing a lot of money and lives. We must work hard to convince the government and the rebels to reach a negotiated solution by supporting the on going peace talks in Juba, Southern Sudan. We need to set up a UNAA committee in charge of fostering peaceful negotiation to act as a liaison between the warring parties in this war. This is a war that cannot be ignored because it affects all of us by creating a generation of orphans as well as physically and mentally scarred victims. It is very important that UNAA takes an active role as a supporting negotiating partner. Then there is the aftermath of the second phase of assisting and helping in the reconstruction of the region. UNAA will have to be involved in this effort by mobilizing talents and resources of individuals and entities with experiences in resettlement programs.
Fellow Comrades like Dr. Martin Luther King said, "I have a dream", a dream that one day UNAA becomes the most respected immigrant organization in North America.
We can realize this dream together.
