Uganda’s oldest diaspora group Ugandans in North America Association (UNAA) could be headed for yet another split, the second in their history.
Nile Post understands that a certain section of dissatisfied members has hinted they are no longer interested in the organization just days after their annual convention that climaxed with hotly contested elections.
The elections which were to bring forth a president of UNAA and their executive team were swept by NRM flag bearer Henrietta Wamala.
Wamala obtained 211 votes a representative of 51.6 percent while her rival, National Unity Platform’s Lydia Natolo scored 198 votes (48.40 percent).
Wamala and her team were running under the tag line- Team Action while Natolo and NUP ran under the tag line Team Unity.
However, following the elections, certain sections of the Team Unity members started expressing their intentions to exit UNAA.
NRM’s Henrietta Wamala beats NUP’s Natolo in North America diaspora elections
Speaking after the event, Hillary Taylor a supporter of Team Unity said he had warned his comrades against participating in UNAA elections.
“I warned my comrades not to waste time participating in UNAA fraudulent elections organized and sponsored by despot Museveni,” Taylor said.
Taylor added that UNAA “is dead and we do not need it”.
The other section of members from Team Unity took to different platforms to express their unwillingness to remain part of the association.
It should be noted that following her re-election, UNAA president Henrietta Wamala warned members against the use of social media is maligning the association and its executive.
“In 2019, a lot of people came from opposing teams and we saw what was going on, the undermining of administration, what has been written out there, we will not allow that,” she said.
The president said that certain people who are out there discouraging new members from joining the association should refrain from the act.
Henrieta also campaigned for a unified UNAA, saying that the association needs to succeed as one or fail as one unit.
“Let us work and unite collectively as one for the growth of UNAA and attainment of its full potential,” she added.
“Alliances to the teams ended on election night. We now step into the next chapter of governance as elected officials that come to serve you all our constituents,” Wamala said.
A decade ago, UNAA split over disagreements of accountability, and funding birthing a breakaway under the name UNAA Causes.
UNAA Causes popular Uganda Festival & Expo competes directly with the 33-year-old UNAA Convention on Labor Day Weekend.
