If all goes according to plan, reformist Uganda North America Association (UNAA) Presidential Candidate, Patrick Ogwanga has pledged to have a major Real Estate property acquired for the organisation in USA, over half a century since Uganda House- the country’s sole pride in America was built.
The Ugandan Community in North America will converge on 1, September to elect new leaders for their umbrella organisation – Uganda North American Association(UNAA), arguably the oldest Ugandan formal diaspora organisation in North America.
Renowned realtor behind the famous Umoja real estate Company, Patrick Ogwang is one of the three candidates vying for the organisation’s presidency.
community. He has pledged to oversee the acquisition of a UNAA House which he says will jointly work as the organisation’s official headquarters and a commercial property to complete donor funding.
Ogwang describes the absence of nay real estate presence for the organisation in its nearly four decades existence as a mistake that needs to be addressed immediately.
” it’s a big shame that having been in existence for almost forty years, UNAA has still got no place to call home in America. This is a mistake we need to collectively address as we prepare for the 35th convention in Dallas,” he emphasises in his grand manifesto for the 2023-2025 UNAA Presidential candidature.
Ogwang, further notes that he has already made contacts with various possible partners to lend a hand in the acquisition of UNAA’s home whose deadline he has set to the first a hundred days after he is voted into office. He elaborates other possible funding avenues as, organising various fundraising drives, pushing for enhanced unity among Ugandans to bring back splinter groups to increase revenue from membership registrations and renewals, seeking grants from the US government, courting the business community for partnerships, loan financing, and assistance from the Government of Uganda.
Besides the UNAA House, Ogwang also laid out a number of manifesto promises which he says will go along way in actualising his grand plan of presiding over a transformed organisation as its president. These, among others, include the following.
In the same recently released manifesto, Ogwang has promises to spearhead a united front that will turn the page and begin a new chapter in each of our lives
and corporately as UNAA,” to activate and
awaken that seed of greatness which is embedded in every man and woman.”
He promises to establish a Community Investment Plan (C.I.P) through which members would crowdfund to raise funds for development intervention both in the diaspora and back home. As the chairman and founder of a successful diaspora investment group (Umoja) – A group of 28 members that was founded 11 years ago with the sole aim of empowering each other and leveraging our human capital, Ogwang promises to benchmark on a ts success story for the benefit of the entire community and a wider impact back home. He explains that what started with a $140 monthly contribution by members, has grown into a successful real estate business, among other businesses.
One of the initiatives the group has taken on, Ogwang notes, is offering an alternative to the diaspora, to combat the rampant fraudulent land dealings in Uganda. Umoja offers a land purchasing solution, to anyone in the diaspora who is interested in acquiring legitimately titled land. “When I become president, I will roll out a similar effort through UNAA, to the different local communities and help them set up and operate, using the success formula we used in Texas to create a mastermind alliance.”
Financial accountability and integrity are also top on the manifesto agenda f Mr Ogwang. He has pledged to ensure that UNAA remains
in good standing with the IRS regulations and policies as a 501(c) 3 public charity
in America and the state of Massachusetts, by implementing a record and better stewardship of all the resources gathered by the organization as its president.
He also promises to improve Service Deliver to keep the organization in compliance with the Law of the Land by ensuring that the bidding process for UNAA contracts is streamlined and very transparent. He castigates as illegal, the tendency for UNAA leaders to award themselves contracts.
Ogwang also commits to organize an annual soccer tournament once elected where group stages will be played at the regional level and the finals played in the hosting city of the convention. This, he argues, will enable UNAA to increase its community
engagement in the diaspora.
Members will also get free diaspora business listings on the UNAA website. Diaspora-based small businesses need a platform and help in advertising and marketing their products according to Ogwang. As president, he intends to be an advocate for all Ugandan-owned small businesses.
To boost UNAA’s funding, he intends to put in place specific sponsorship initiatives in consultation with his leadership team in the form of a 15% commission to any UNAA member who brings the organization new
sponsorship.
Free Boat Cruises. Depending on how much the organisation receives in sponsorships, Ogwang commits to organise an annual boat cruise for every member in good standing to enjoy a boat cruise at our conventions exclusively paid for by the institution.
Under the stewardship of Ogwang, UNAA will provide free Immigration consultation for members. To this end, he reveals that he has already agreed with a law firm willing to give UNNA members in good standing free Immigration consultations
“Any dominating desire, plan or purpose which is backed by that state of mind known as “faith” is taken over by the subconscious section of the mind and acted upon immediately”
Before he is elected to the most coveted office, however, Ogwang must essentially first overcome outgoing UNAA Executive Secretary, Etibot Lambert who boasts of the direct backing of current President, Henrieta Wamala who seeks to prolong her grip on UNAA through a loyal proxie as her Landry two terms come to an end.
To the wider diaspora community, Ogwanga is seen as an astute reformist whose ability to make big decisions is backed to transform UNAA for its very best going forward.
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