Reflecting about UNAA Chicago Convention
Sep 08, 2009
The UNAA convention in Chicago this past weekend was a mixed bag of successes and failures. A preliminary head counts showed that the attendance was very high, with participants coming in from all over North America and Europe. For the first time, the i
OPIYO OLOYA
The UNAA convention in Chicago this past weekend was a mixed bag of successes and failures. A preliminary head counts showed that the attendance was very high, with participants coming in from all over North America and Europe. For the first time, the issues from northern Uganda dominated the proceedings with two sessions given for discussions of the way forward.
Both the Friday and Saturday sessions were heavily attended by delegates who wanted to learn more about the problems and how they can become involved. The presence of Minister of State for Karamoja and First Lady, Hon. Janet Museveni, certainly elevated the attendance of the Saturday session to standing-room only.
The majority of delegates expressed the sentiments that the government needed to move more aggressively with post-war reconstruction and rehabilitation programs in the north. Among others, the draft UNAA resolution on northern Uganda included provision of “free tuition and all educational expenses through university level for the next twenty years starting 2010â€. The resolution also called for “two oxen and one ox plow†to each family in northern Uganda.
In a spontaneous act of solidarity with children of northern Uganda, delegates passed the hat around and collected $600 dollars to sponsor a child in northern Uganda through school. Participants want the fund to become an annual part of UNAA conventions. Hon. Museveni acquitted herself very well with a polished performance that surprised many delegates.
Against all these positive vibes and intentions, however, was an ugly underbelly of politics playing out. From the very start of the convention on Thursday, the campaign for the UNAA presidency took a decidedly meaner tone. Accusations and rumours flew back and forth that some of the candidates had bought off the delegates with money provided by the government of Uganda. There were also suspicions that delegates would be sneaked in to shore up the support for certain candidates. There were elections material and paraphernalia everywhere throughout the convention site at Chicago-Marriott.
The chicanery played out during the presidential debate Saturday night. First, the former UNAA president Lt. Frank Musisi showed up late for debate. He then announced that an injunction from Cook County Court had been served that forbade the elections to move forward. Stunned delegates asked how this could be, and who was behind such a move. Lt. Musisi said that everything would be sorted out by Monday, but was adamant that further debate was futile since elections were now called off.
However, just as suddenly as the announcement was made, debate moderator Dr. Muniini Mulera of Toronto clarified the situation. The court injunction, he said, was filed against the UNAA electoral commission. It however, did not stop elections from going forward. The EC had thirty days to file a rebuttal, but elections would proceed the following day Sunday as planned. This development was greeted with happy cheers and much applause. Lt. Musisi now decided he would participate in the debate and was given time to elaborate his position.
But the die had been cast. Many of supporters of Lt. Musisi who had been upbeat all evening long now fell silent. Somehow, they felt they were being played for fools. The planned dinner boat cruise was a huge disappointment, and likely the final nail that brought Lt. Musisi down. The buses carrying delegates to the boat were ordered to turn around and return to the hotel on the orders of Lt. Musisi. Apparently, there were some non-paying intruders on the bus. Against much protestation, exhausted delegates were ordered off the buses. Some got off, others refused. Then everyone was ordered back on the buses, and driven to the boat. Once there, delegates were made to wait an additional hour in line while Lt. Musisi spent the time on the phone with some unknown parties. To add salt to injury, once on the boat, the promised dinner turned out to be finger snacks. At least the live music was good, and delegates consoled themselves with dancing to the upbeat tunes.
It was no wonder then that the electoral commission took every precaution to avoid any perception and accusation of bias. The voting began on time Sunday morning. Security was decidedly the tightest in UNAA history with uniform guards posted at the entrance. The voting booths came courtesy of Chicago Electoral Commission. Inside, cameras quietly recorded the general scene such that any malfeasance would be exposed. Voters list was publicly posted for all to see. Election officials verified the identity of each voter against a photo identity card, and scrutinized each completed ballot to ensure that the voter placed a single ballot in the box. After voting, each voter’s right hand was stamped with the word “completed†to ensure there was no second voting.
The drama around the UNAA elections came to a head Sunday night shortly after eleven at night. The electoral commission escorted by uniformed guards entered the banquet hall, and announced the winners. The presidential elections results were the last to be announced. Flex Kabuye polled 185 votes, Lt. Musisi got 227 and Moses Wilson won the majority votes of 358. Moses Wilson supporters erupted in celebration. Lt. Musisi, however, refused to concede defeat. He instead promised to take time to look carefully at the results. He did not say whether he would wage a legal battle, but did not rule that out either. He then stalked quietly to his seat, refusing to join Mr. Wilson at the podium. At least, Flex Kabuye was more gracious. He embraced Moses Wilson, and promised to work with him.
The 2010 UNAA convention will be held in Washington DC. It promises to be a great opportunity to heal the rift that had threatened the survival of UNAA. But Chicago will go down as one of the best attended UNAA conventions, and yet also one of the most divisive.
Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca
The UNAA convention in Chicago this past weekend was a mixed bag of successes and failures. A preliminary head counts showed that the attendance was very high, with participants coming in from all over North America and Europe. For the first time, the issues from northern Uganda dominated the proceedings with two sessions given for discussions of the way forward.
Both the Friday and Saturday sessions were heavily attended by delegates who wanted to learn more about the problems and how they can become involved. The presence of Minister of State for Karamoja and First Lady, Hon. Janet Museveni, certainly elevated the attendance of the Saturday session to standing-room only.
The majority of delegates expressed the sentiments that the government needed to move more aggressively with post-war reconstruction and rehabilitation programs in the north. Among others, the draft UNAA resolution on northern Uganda included provision of “free tuition and all educational expenses through university level for the next twenty years starting 2010â€. The resolution also called for “two oxen and one ox plow†to each family in northern Uganda.
In a spontaneous act of solidarity with children of northern Uganda, delegates passed the hat around and collected $600 dollars to sponsor a child in northern Uganda through school. Participants want the fund to become an annual part of UNAA conventions. Hon. Museveni acquitted herself very well with a polished performance that surprised many delegates.
Against all these positive vibes and intentions, however, was an ugly underbelly of politics playing out. From the very start of the convention on Thursday, the campaign for the UNAA presidency took a decidedly meaner tone. Accusations and rumours flew back and forth that some of the candidates had bought off the delegates with money provided by the government of Uganda. There were also suspicions that delegates would be sneaked in to shore up the support for certain candidates. There were elections material and paraphernalia everywhere throughout the convention site at Chicago-Marriott.
The chicanery played out during the presidential debate Saturday night. First, the former UNAA president Lt. Frank Musisi showed up late for debate. He then announced that an injunction from Cook County Court had been served that forbade the elections to move forward. Stunned delegates asked how this could be, and who was behind such a move. Lt. Musisi said that everything would be sorted out by Monday, but was adamant that further debate was futile since elections were now called off.
However, just as suddenly as the announcement was made, debate moderator Dr. Muniini Mulera of Toronto clarified the situation. The court injunction, he said, was filed against the UNAA electoral commission. It however, did not stop elections from going forward. The EC had thirty days to file a rebuttal, but elections would proceed the following day Sunday as planned. This development was greeted with happy cheers and much applause. Lt. Musisi now decided he would participate in the debate and was given time to elaborate his position.
But the die had been cast. Many of supporters of Lt. Musisi who had been upbeat all evening long now fell silent. Somehow, they felt they were being played for fools. The planned dinner boat cruise was a huge disappointment, and likely the final nail that brought Lt. Musisi down. The buses carrying delegates to the boat were ordered to turn around and return to the hotel on the orders of Lt. Musisi. Apparently, there were some non-paying intruders on the bus. Against much protestation, exhausted delegates were ordered off the buses. Some got off, others refused. Then everyone was ordered back on the buses, and driven to the boat. Once there, delegates were made to wait an additional hour in line while Lt. Musisi spent the time on the phone with some unknown parties. To add salt to injury, once on the boat, the promised dinner turned out to be finger snacks. At least the live music was good, and delegates consoled themselves with dancing to the upbeat tunes.
It was no wonder then that the electoral commission took every precaution to avoid any perception and accusation of bias. The voting began on time Sunday morning. Security was decidedly the tightest in UNAA history with uniform guards posted at the entrance. The voting booths came courtesy of Chicago Electoral Commission. Inside, cameras quietly recorded the general scene such that any malfeasance would be exposed. Voters list was publicly posted for all to see. Election officials verified the identity of each voter against a photo identity card, and scrutinized each completed ballot to ensure that the voter placed a single ballot in the box. After voting, each voter’s right hand was stamped with the word “completed†to ensure there was no second voting.
The drama around the UNAA elections came to a head Sunday night shortly after eleven at night. The electoral commission escorted by uniformed guards entered the banquet hall, and announced the winners. The presidential elections results were the last to be announced. Flex Kabuye polled 185 votes, Lt. Musisi got 227 and Moses Wilson won the majority votes of 358. Moses Wilson supporters erupted in celebration. Lt. Musisi, however, refused to concede defeat. He instead promised to take time to look carefully at the results. He did not say whether he would wage a legal battle, but did not rule that out either. He then stalked quietly to his seat, refusing to join Mr. Wilson at the podium. At least, Flex Kabuye was more gracious. He embraced Moses Wilson, and promised to work with him.
The 2010 UNAA convention will be held in Washington DC. It promises to be a great opportunity to heal the rift that had threatened the survival of UNAA. But Chicago will go down as one of the best attended UNAA conventions, and yet also one of the most divisive.
Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca