Author: Geoffrey Asira
The cooperative movement in Uganda led by their apex body Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA) received a delegation from International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). The program led the delegation to UCA as their first stop of the visit where they were received by UCA Chairman Johnas Tweyambe together with General Secretary CPA Ivan Asiimwe at UCA Head Office. Here the two parties engaged in talks on opportunities for strengthening cooperatives in Uganda as they tested coffee from Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union.
The delegation also visited the Uganda Central Cooperative financial Services (UCCFS) that recently established a new Savings and Credit Cooperative (Sacco) that aims at providing affordable finances to the surrounding community. Thereafter, the delegation visited the Parliament building to meet with the speaker of the National Assembly Rebecca Kadaga who has been animating discussions on cooperative taxation and Uganda Cooperative Bank revival.
The ICA delegation was also received by the State Minister for Cooperatives Fredrick Ngobi who was much appreciated by the ICA President Ariel Guarco for creating an “enabling environment for cooperative development in Uganda”. Finally, the delegation visited Wazalendo Sacco, a Uganda peoples’ defense force Sacco that provides affordable financing to their members.
UCA General Secretary CPA Ivan Asiimwe, noted that UCA with the support from the ICA, is committed to develop content on Cooperatives. Precisely, cooperative movement in Uganda engage to work closely with the Parliament to ensure cooperative education is taught in primary and secondary schools. A token of appreciation to ICA was offered during a corporate dinner that was organized by strategic partners of the Uganda Cooperative Alliance.
The cooperative movement in Uganda represents a total number of 10,641 primary cooperatives with approximately 3.9 million members with 41 cooperative unions, four cooperative federations.
The cooperative delegation, comprised of the ICA President Ariel Guarco, the Director General Bruno Roelants, Alliance Africa President Japheth Magomere and Regional Director Chiyoge Sifa, spent two days’ visit in Uganda from the 15th and 16th of January, 2019.
