{UAH} 2014 UNAA Convention Day 1 - My Observations

Dear Community Members.

In response to a number of reports recently posted by past members of UNAA leadership on various discussion groups, Uganda media and Facebook, I have been literally flooded by requests from friends and other well-wishers for an independent account of what actually took place at the recently concluded 26^th Annual UNAA Convention.

I do not have any inside information with regards to finances and other ancillary information such as registration numbers, so my report will focus only on that which I personally participated in or observed.  However, I know that the UNAA Executive Committee is in the final stages of preparing an official convention report which will present all of this information plus details on other events that I did not get to observe.

Too much transpired over the three days for me to encapsulate in just one report.  So I will present my observations of just the first two days of my trip (Thursday and Friday) in this report, and write about the other two days individually in the coming days.

I arrived at the venue of the convention, the Hyatt Regency La Jolla, on Thursday evening and found a beehive of activity in the lobby as other early arrivals checked in, greeted friends or departed to check out the nearby restaurants and other night life.  I had with me my two sons, Noah and Aaron, who had both pledged to volunteer at the convention in any capacity needed. 

The Hyatt Regency is a 4-star hotel and it met all of my expectations for such accolades.  There was no doubt that the UNAA Executive Committee has made an excellent choice.

 As one of the coordinators of the very first forum of the convention (Trade and Investments) which was scheduled for the next day, I restricted my activities to a quick tour of the hotel and most specifically of the meeting room in which the forum would be held the next day.   Then after drinking one quick beer with some friends in the hotel's bar, I retired for the night.

The 2014 UNAA Trade and Investments Forum took place the next day and attracted a total of 86 attendees.  Some came for only the morning or afternoon sessions, while others only attended individual topic presentations.

As scheduled, a variety of exciting presentations were made and attendees engaged in spirited debates on a wide range of topics including specific aspects of the investment climate in Uganda and actual opportunities for increased trade with North America.

Speakers and attendees included the Speaker of Parliament (Hon. Rebecca Kadaga), Ugandan's Ambassador to the United States (HE. Amb. Oliver Woneka), the Chairman of the Bugisu Cooperative Union (Hon. Nathan Mafabi Nandala), other government officials, business leaders from Uganda and the USA, UNAA members and other invited guests.

The forum was a resounding success and attendees resolved to pursue the actualization of several business opportunities.

I was particularly proud of my two sons who individually volunteered for different functions in the convention.  My oldest spent the entire day as part of the registration team while my youngest circulated with a camera and captured many of the photographs that will become part of UNAA's records.  The two boys also actively reached out and recruited other youth for the UNAA Youth Program.  Later that evening they brought down a large container of games we had brought with us from home along with various computer games which they shared with other youth members in a separate room that had been set aside for this purpose.

Also during this day, the UNAA Vendors Exposition began.  I will say more about this event as part of my next reports.

The official "Opening Ceremonies" kicked off with a spectacular gospel concert by the Revival Power Ministries Choir from Los Angeles.  Led by Pastor Robert Kayongo, the RPM Choir uplifted and inspired a crowd that literally took to the dance floor time and again.

As is customary, UNAA members were welcomed by the Chairman of the local hosting Ugandan Community in San Diego (Mr. Eli Aongo) and the Chairman of the local Convention Organizing Committee (Mr. Ivan Mwanja).  The convention was then officially opened by the UNAA President (Mr. Brian Kwesiga) followed by additional welcoming remarks from the President of the Ugandan Community in Los Angeles (Mr. David Kabukuru).

The crowd was further delighted by the dancing talents of a group of UNAA youth members from Los Angeles and the night progressed to the long awaited dance party which ended at 3 AM.  More information on other performances that took place this evening will be presented in the upcoming official convention report.

Earlier in the evening I had been joined by my wife, Denni, and other close family members.  We all retired at about midnight quite exhausted but greatly exhilarated by a truly awesome start to the convention.

Moses R. Wilson

Member – UNAA Board of Trustees