C. Maludye
1 April 2008
opinion
I refer to the article which appeared in Daily Monitor of March 27 by Hon. Nathan Nandala Mafabi on Bugisu Cooperative Union. The article was indeed educative to us who come from Bugisu and did not know what was going on in the union that was once the pride of Bugisu.
It is a big shame if what Hon. Mafabi wrote is true. I have no reason to doubt what he wrote because we know that properties of Bugisu Cooperative Union like Mount Elgon Hotel and the mill have been mortgaged to a Swiss man. There have been reports that past management and board members paid themselves handsomely before their terms expired.
We also hear that this has been the routine of every management that comes to power in Bugisu Cooperative Union. We have also reliably learnt that existing management and board members, often bought off Primary Society delegates by buying them drinks and accommodating them in hotels in Mbale whenever there was an Annual General Meeting.
This was done so that these primary society delegates would vote them back to office. This is indeed absurd that these officials of Bugisu Cooperative Union took our peasants for a ride.
The successive management and board members must therefore be taken to task to answer for all losses, mortgages and sale of our properties. I call it our properties because every Mugisu owns a small garden of Arabica coffee which he sells to a primary society. Bugisu Cooperative Union is therefore owned by primary societies.
I am saddened further by the actions of the successive managements for cheating our peasants. Many of us who come from Bugisu land studied on Bugisu Cooperative Union scholarships and as such we should treasure this organisation to keep it going strong and also to help young people get further education and employment.
Bugisu Cooperative Union built schools like Teso College Aloet. I therefore appeal to every Mugisu wherever you are to come forward and take the management to task to explain these losses that have been passed on to us as members of primary societies which form Bugisu Cooperative Union.
The management should explain to us what happened to all this money mentioned in Hon. Mafabi's article. If it's also true that coffee was stolen, as is claimed, then these people should be held responsible. I would like also to appeal to the Ministry of Trade, the Inspector General of Government and the Auditor General to come forward and carry out a thorough investigation into the management of Bugisu Cooperative Union.
I would also like to appeal to our politicians to forget their political differences and come together to help the peasants and restore the glory of our union. The union belongs to all of us.
The writer is a coffee farmer in Budadiri, Mbale
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