Activities of the Uganda Voluntary Mobilizers Organization-UVMO are under scrutiny in Kibaale district.
Dunstan Balaaba, the Kibaale district Chief Administrative Officer,has instituted an investigation into the organization's activities in the district.
Balaba told journalists on Tuesday that the inquiries have been triggered by reports that the organization was never registered and its operations are not sanctioned by the district authorities.
The district chief Administrative also explains that he has recieved reports showing that the organization is collecting 50,000 shillings from members as registration and that the money is not receipted at all.
The suspicious Balaba, has summoned the Organization coordinator in Kagadi, Charles Kisembo to his office for an explanation.
The CAO says Kisembo would be required to show the organization’s registration certificate and clearly explain its goals and objectives. He says this will form a basis of whether the organization will be allowed to continue operating in the district or not.
But Kisembo denies all the allegations. He says the organization is just a branch of the bigger Uganda Voluntary Mobilizers Organisation charged with implementing the NRM’s manifesto on agriculture to ensure prosperity for all Ugandans.
It’s registered by the registrar of companies, he adds.
Kisembo says the organisation has been charging only 4000 shillings for passport size photos and 1500 shillings for the appication forms and not the 50,000 shillings as alleged. Kisembo says the Resident district Commissioner and the police are aware of the organization activities and they cleared him.
Uganda Voluntary Mobilizers Organisation started operations in Kagadi two months ago and boasts of over 500 fully registered members. It was not immediately clear whether the organization is known to the Kibaale Civil Society Organizations Network-KICSON an umbrella of all civil society organizations operating in Kibaale.
Samuel Merere, the KICSON Chairperson could not be reached for a comment as his phone was off by press time.
CAO Balaba says the district is currently updating its register of civil society, Community based and Non Governmental Organizations to guard against what he calls “briefcase” organizations.
Kibaale district has a total of close to 30 Non Governmental Organizations.
# # #
