UCA, Buganda Kingdom sign partnership to extend education & Joint Marketing to co-operatives in the region

The Uganda Co-operative Alliance Limited signed a partnership with Buganda Kingdom as part of their commitment to providing capacity building, joint marketing, formation and registration of more co-operatives and providing support to other farmer-based organizations within Buganda.

The co-operative movement in Uganda started in Buganda Region in 1913 with Kinakulya Co-operative Union however, the kingdom says that the deterioration of the performance of the cooperatives in the kingdom has affected so many activities and the progress of the Kingdom.

During the Memorandum of Understanding ceremony held today (September 1, 2022) the Kingdoms’ Parliament in Bulange, Mengo, Mr. Tweyambe Johnas, the Chairperson Board of Directors of Uganda Co-operative Alliance Limited plagued total support towards the development of the cooperatives in the region.

“If it has applied in other regions and it has worked there is no doubt that it can’t work, now that we are in Buganda we will reach where we want to be with UCA …” Chairman said.

UCA is an umbrella organization for over 23,000 registered cooperative unions and societies in Uganda. It is a nonprofit organization promoting and supporting government efforts in achieving social economic transformation of the country through Cooperative development.

According to Uganda Co-operative alliance, Buganda alone has 2,178 cooperatives that need which lack co-operative education for their success.

Mr. Ivan Asiimwe the General Secretary UCA highlighted the problems that are affecting the cooperative movement in Buganda and promised to provide solutions to the challenges faced by Cooperatives in the 21^st Century.

“We are going to provide laws and ensure that they are followed for the success of the cooperatives” General Secretary said.

He also blamed the deteriorating performance of the cooperatives on lack of appropriate education that focuses on cooperative education like in neighboring countries in the region

“In Uganda we started in 1954 to date we are still stuck with diplomas while countries like Tanzania and Kenya which started years after us (Uganda) have PHD and master’s awarding Institutions in cooperative education” Mr. Asiimwe said.

He appreciated the efforts of the Kingdom towards realizing the social economic transformation contribution played by the cooperative movement the world.

In a rejoinder the Prime Minister of Buganda Kingdom Rt. Hon. Peter Mayiga represented by the Attorney General of Buganda Kingdom, Hon. Minister Christopher Bwanika said that Cooperatives boosted Buganda Kingdom and Uganda. He added that most people attained education because of Co-operatives.

“Co-operatives like East Mengo and West Mengo were very strong and gave a lot of support to the coffee plantation and food security in Buganda and Uganda at large” Minister said.

Hon. Christopher Bwanika said that the kingdom is committed to rallying its subjects to join and fully participate in the activities of cooperatives so that they attain entrepreneur skills.

“We are going to rally the youth to join co-operatives so that they can change their conditions of living” He added.

he also promised to rally people to support government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) so that they uplift people from the non-money economy to the money economy.