A Kampala-based travel agency has sued a non-governmental organisation (NGO) over allegations of unpaid travel services amounting to more than Shs43 million.
In a suit filed on Friday before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court, Gallivanter Agency Limited accuses Global Election Observation Mission Limited of failing to pay for air ticket processing and related services provided to its staff in May 2025.
Court documents indicate that on May 9, 2025, the agency processed and re-issued several air tickets for the NGO’s personnel.
On May 13, the NGO reportedly issued a written acknowledgment confirming its indebtedness of Shs26 million ($6,806). A further invoice dated May 14 brought the total claim to Shs43,293,400 ($11,393).
“The plaintiff provided travel services of processing air tickets to the defendant’s staff, which were duly acknowledged and received. The defendant, however, failed to make full payment for the services rendered,” part of the plaint reads.
Gallivanter further claims that the NGO issued three cheques on May 19, 2025, but all were dishonoured.
On June 2, 2025, the NGO’s Chief Executive Officer reportedly committed to settle the debt in four instalments of Shs10 million each, with the final payment scheduled for July 30, 2025—an arrangement the plaintiff says was never honoured.
To date, Gallivanter asserts that only Shs2,424,400 ($638) has been paid, leaving the full amount of Shs43,293,400 ($11,393) outstanding.
The suit also references a letter dated August 25, 2025, from the NGO’s lawyers, Stabit Advocates, responding to a demand notice. In the letter, the NGO acknowledges the debt and confirms entering into an agreement with the travel agency.
“Our client acknowledges that she entered into an arrangement with your client for the said respective services and further acknowledges that she made promises to clear the monies involved therein as claimed,” the lawyers wrote.
They attributed the delayed payment to slow donor disbursements, saying the organisation “solely derives its income from donors and funders,” and requested 60 additional days to clear the outstanding balance.
The case has been allocated to Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi, who will preside over the hearing.