Govt told not to interfere in cooperatives
Sep 25, 2008
THE chairman of the Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA) has asked the Government not to get involved in the operations of the cooperative movement.
By Charles Ariko
THE chairman of the Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA) has asked the Government not to get involved in the operations of the cooperative movement.
Tom Tibamwenda on Wednesday said the task of running cooperatives should be left to its members.
He advised the Government to instead provide a good environment in which the cooperatives operate.
“Many people have opted to form associations because they believe that the Government will not interfere,†Tibamwenda said.
Tibamwenda was on Wednesday addressing the annual general meeting of UCA members at Hotel International in Muyenga near Kampala.
Representatives of the Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) that recently joined the alliance were not allowed to take part in the day’s deliberations. Tibamwenda explained that there was a legal suit challenging SACCOs membership.
“Involvement of the Ministry of Finance in SACCOs contradicts what we had achieved as self-propelled and self-directed cooperatives. But we hope during the implementation of the Prosperity-for-All Programme (Bonna Bagaggawale), our concerns will be taken into account,†Tibamwenda said.
Former Vice-President Dr. Specioza Kazibwe, who is heading the Micro Support Centre, said laws that segregate against SACCOs should be reviewed to enable members join cooperatives.
“SACCOs are the blood of the cooperative movement. If laws are making it difficult for SACCOs and cooperatives to come together, they should be scraped to have one cooperative law,†Kazibwe said.
THE chairman of the Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA) has asked the Government not to get involved in the operations of the cooperative movement.
Tom Tibamwenda on Wednesday said the task of running cooperatives should be left to its members.
He advised the Government to instead provide a good environment in which the cooperatives operate.
“Many people have opted to form associations because they believe that the Government will not interfere,†Tibamwenda said.
Tibamwenda was on Wednesday addressing the annual general meeting of UCA members at Hotel International in Muyenga near Kampala.
Representatives of the Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) that recently joined the alliance were not allowed to take part in the day’s deliberations. Tibamwenda explained that there was a legal suit challenging SACCOs membership.
“Involvement of the Ministry of Finance in SACCOs contradicts what we had achieved as self-propelled and self-directed cooperatives. But we hope during the implementation of the Prosperity-for-All Programme (Bonna Bagaggawale), our concerns will be taken into account,†Tibamwenda said.
Former Vice-President Dr. Specioza Kazibwe, who is heading the Micro Support Centre, said laws that segregate against SACCOs should be reviewed to enable members join cooperatives.
“SACCOs are the blood of the cooperative movement. If laws are making it difficult for SACCOs and cooperatives to come together, they should be scraped to have one cooperative law,†Kazibwe said.