Critical moment for Rugby Union

By Johnson Were

April 11, 2015

Uganda Rugby Union AGM

Article 9:2 of the Uganda Rugby Union (URU) constitution states that, “The AGM shall be held before the commencement of the playing season or as soon as practicable thereafter but not later than 31st March being four months from the end of the financial year.”

And article 9:3 requires the URU secretary to give a 28-day formal notice indicating the venue with copies of the audited accounts and also requires the AGM to be advertised twice in the English daily newspaper.

It is upon the above articles that the referee society (URRS) and some members of the rugby fraternity have objected to a Special General Meeting (SGM) called by URU on April 11 to amend the constitution.

The URU executive has not called an elective assembly but called for an SGM on April 11, to amend the constitution and absorb a new body called Uganda Rugby Referee Council that will take the roles of the existing URRS.

Rugby referee officials argue that the URU executive mandate expired on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 and they are in office illegally.

“We cannot allow an illegal committee to deliberate on rugby matters,” Jacko Chagga told New Vision.

“If it means going to court we shall go, but we shall first petition NCS on that if by April 1, the AGM is not held because we cannot allow this continued breach of the constitution,” Chagga added.

However, URU secretary Michael Wandera said that the financial year changed, which automatically affects the AGM too.

However, a club official who preferred anonymity objected to Wandera’s argument as he said, “We all know that the season ended last year in October and we are in a new season.The financial records we expect in the assembly must not be reflecting any activity held in December 2014.”

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