{UAH} YOUTH ATTACK!! Congratulations Mr Brian Kwesiga and ...

YOUTH ATTACK!! Congratulations Mr Brian Kwesiga (26 years old) on being elected president of Ugandan North American Association (UNAA)'s youngest president in the association's 25 year history. May God guide you and may you indeed continue to make history..good history .

 

While at it, may you never use that 'Nkubakyeyo' term used by Madam Byanyima (while at UNAA Dallas) and many to refer to diaspora Ugandans. It is at best derogatory and I for one resent it. I hear she wants us to get a ministry? Please tell her we want a district!

 

No, but seriously, Uganda Diaspora aspirations and challenges are way more serious. Like many others, I said something about it in November 2010.

 

 

PRESENTATION AT THE UGANDA DIASPORA OUTREACH WORKSHOP IN LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM ON OCTOBER 3OTH, 2010

 

By Johnson Mujungu

President, International Community of Banyakigezi (ICOB)

Chairperson, Community of Banyakigezi in the United Kingdom (COB-UK)

 

TOPIC:  Uganda Diaspora Aspirations and Challenges In Brief

 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, All Protocals Observed.

 

It gives me great pleasure to see many familiar and new faces gathered at this Uganda Diaspora Outreach Workshop.

 

I was asked to do a brief presentation on Uganda Diaspora Aspirations and Challenges.

 

A Diaspora is "that part of a people, dispersed in one or more countries other than its homeland, that maintains a feeling of transnational community among a people and its homeland" (Chander, 2001).

 

Uganda Diaspora is not homogeneous. But diverse as it may be, perhaps two broad categorisations may help in looking at the Uganda Diaspora aspirations and challenges. There are those of us who wish to return home and those of us who would prefer to contribute from where we currently domicile and work.

 

Indeed some present-day members of the Uganda Diaspora aspire to achieve economic prosperity and/or professional qualifications, and then return home in order to participate in Uganda's economic development. Others intend to stay either because they were born here or came when they were very young, or they doubt that the social, political and economic circumstances at home will suit what they have gotten used to while abroad.

 

But whether they intend to go back or not, almost all Ugandans in the Diaspora aspire to contribute to the development of the motherland in some way.

 

Undoubtedly, the enthusiasm evident in those gathered here today (the organisers in fact say this event was over booked) bodes rather very well for creating the atmosphere for more Ugandans to return and make a contribution through deploying their skills.

 

It also bodes well for building a brain-bank of Ugandans living abroad to assist in the process of investment and ongoing knowledge exchange and the acquisition of skills.

 

While there are many challenges faced by the Uganda Diaspora, I will highlight a few common and perhaps key ones:

ü  What job opportunities are available for professionals in the Diaspora and how can we access information about these opportunities.  

ü  Are there any collaborative relationships between the Uganda government, the organized private sector, multilateral agencies, professional bodies, civil society organizations that can be harnessed?  

• Are there any mechanisms in place to connect Ugandans abroad with individuals, private companies, the public and civic sectors or other organisations at home seeking skills?   Is it possible to make arrangements to have Ugandans in some of these positions  being that they may ?
• Are there dedicated resources/functions abroad disseminating accurate information about opportunities and conditions at home?

ü  What physical incentives are available for members of the Diaspora that would want to go home

ü  What is the state of health care?

 

Then there are the skilled and entrepreneurial Ugandans in the Diaspora who want to contribute from their positions of influence abroad. Below is a summary of some of the accruing aspirations and challenges:

• How does one get to spot opportunities in one country while living in another?
• What assistance, financial or otherwise, is available for potential investors in the Diaspora and how can these be accessed?
• How to establish credible infrastructure and joint venture projects between Ugandans in the Diaspora and Ugandans at home.
• What of Diaspora experts wishing to contribute through "virtual" technical assistance by using Internet, video conferencing and other information technology media.
• How to organize for experts to train Ugandan based professionals that can in turn serve as trainers to hundreds and thousands of other Ugandan-based professionals.
• Ease the cost of sending money back to Uganda - can make available an additional for investment and or relatives back home.

I am sure many of you cannot wait to hear what the Uganda Diaspora Office officials here today want to share with us.

 

I thank you for your indulgement.

Shared Blessings,

Johnson Mujungu