[UAH] Ugandans in US split over Byanyima, Karuhanga

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Ugandans in US split over Byanyima, Karuhanga

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By  FREDERIC MUSISI & TABU BUTAGIRA 

Posted  Friday, July 12   2013 at  01:00

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Kampala- A controversy over the choice of a key-note speaker has polarised members of Uganda North America Association (UNAA) ahead of its planned convention in Dallas, USA next month.

The Daily Monitor understands that the division, which has pitted rival camps of leading UNAA presidential contenders, emerged after information leaked that some officials clandestinely invited Mr Elly Karuhanga as the main speaker. Others had preferred Ms Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of Oxfam International.

Mr Karuhanga is president of Tullow Oil Uganda, and was purportedly tapped as speaker after the UK oil firm allegedly promised unspecified sponsorship for the convention.

Mr Joseph Musoke, a candidate for UNAA president, raised the first complaint in in an email to members in a closed-user group, claiming that Mr Karuhanga was handpicked by Mr David Mureeba, the head of Uganda's consulate in Texas.

Crossing boundaries?
Mr Musoke questioned why Mr Mureeba was fixing the main speaker yet Ugandan diplomats in the US were not even allowed to vote in UNAA elections.
"We've been told that Mr Karuhanga was chosen because he'd made a large donation to help UNAA get out of debt," he said. "Efforts to stop him would make him withdraw his donation."
UNAA officials deny the allegations.

"It's true we contacted Mr Karuhanga, but he said he would not sponsor or take part," the association's executive secretary, Ms Henrietta Wamala, said by telephone from Chicago. 
"Ms Byanyima has lived in the Diaspora for long and is well-versed with our issues."

According to Ms Wamala, the allegations are a political Ping-Pong orchestrated by self-seekers. 
Mr Karuhanga dismissed as "idle talk" the controversies: "UNAA contacted me and I said no."

We were unable to confirm if Ms Byanyima would honour the invite. 
In 2009, a similar dispute erupted after First Lady Janet Museveni was invited as the keynote speaker.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

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