Money divides Indian business community ahead of Modi's visit to Uganda

Some members of the Indian business community have reportedly threatened to boycott the visit of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over the alleged mismanagement of money  by the committee organising the visit.

Modi is scheduled to visit Uganda on July 24. Among his planned activities is a meeting with the indian business community which is more than 20o,000 strong.

A core committee chaired by Pradeep Karia is spearheading the preparations of Modi's meeting with the Indian Business community.

There us also a finance committee headed by Ramesh Babu.

In one of the meetings, Babu's committee was tasked with raising at least Shs 1 billion to facilitate the meeting.

It was agreed that each Indian community with less than 100 people contributes at least Shs 2 million while that with more than 100 members contributes Shs 5 million. Individual business people were also told to contribute some money.

Our sources told us that so far hundreds of millions of shillings have been raised but attempts by some members to demand for accountability have not been successful.

The Indian High Commissioner to Uganda Ravi Shankar has reportedly been cited in the saga with accusations that he is shielding the finance committee from scruitny.

Shankar has also been accused of teaming up with the former Rubaga North MP Singh Katongole to silence the voices of those who are asking for accountability.

Our attempts to talk to Shankar failed but Katongole told Nile Post today that he is innocent and that some people had dragged his name into the matter for personal reasons.

"I am not a members of the Finance Committee. I am a member of the Security and Protocol committee so I don't deal with money. Some people are trying to tarnish my name. I know them but God is there to see the truth," Katongole said.

Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with Museveni and also open the convention centre for the Indian community in Entebbe.