Members of the Tooro community working and living in the US, under their umbrella body, the Tooro American Association, Inc (TAA) are set to hold elections for their new leaders this weekend.

According to sources, the term of office for the current leadership, which took office in May 2018, had expired in May this year, but the leaders allegedly extended their term of office without the approval of the members.

“The board extending its tenure without a members’ meeting to approve of such action, which caused the uproar leading to members calling for elections in a members’ special meeting,” The source told New Vision on Thursday.

The current board of TAA is led by Prof. Michael Kisembo and Felly Kaboyo, who the members accuse of extending their term of office, contrary to the association’s constitution, which puts such matters under the mandate of TAA members.

It is said according to sources in the US, that TAA members were awakened after one of the TAA leaders Elijah Rukidi-Mpuuga, the chairperson of TAA’s constitutional affairs and rules committee notified the members that he could no longer hold office saying his term of office, just like other leaders at TAA, had expired in May 2021.

For new leadership, news coming from Washington, DC has it that the Maryland based Tooro America Association is heading for the election of its leaders, this coming Sunday, August 15, 2021.

“The TAA electoral commission has already called for nominations of all vacant positions,” a source said.

The Tooro American Association is one of the vibrant Ugandan Diaspora nonprofit organizations that is engaged in community development back in Uganda and uplifting of its members in the US.

 UNAA elections 

Meanwhile, Ugandans living in North America, under their association Uganda North American Association, are also warming up to elections of new leaders at the 33rd UNAA convention slated for September 3-6, in Cincinnati, Ohio USA.

In the race is Henrietta Nairuba Wamala, a resident of Chicago and current President UNAA, who is fighting tooth and nail to retain her position.

She is facing stiff competition from Lydia Natoolo, a resident of California who is currently the Vice President UNAA.

Natoolo of team Unity wants to become the President UNAA while Albert Bakasara, TAA’s first chairperson who resigned his position early this year, is standing for Vice President UNAA.

Bakasara has been under fire for alleged mismanagement of TAA funds, but, according to Elijah Rukidi-Mpuuga, the chairperson of TAA’s constitutional affairs and rules committee, this is a smear campaign.

“During his tenure, all TAA records were open to members and the general public for viewing. TAA experienced sold financial standing, which he left behind on retiring as chairperson early this year. My committee would be the very first to have pointed this out if any irregularity occurred,” Mpuuga said.

He confirmed that no TAA funds were found missing during Albert Bakasara’s reign as chairperson Tooro American Association.