Uganda Red Cross society has resolved to sell off some of its property to clear the over 200 million debt it owes some financial institutions in Uganda as a result of the anomalies committed during the reign of Michael Richard Nataka, the embattled former secretary general.The revelation was made by the national chairman of the Uganda Red Cross Joseph Omilmot during the annual general meeting for Red Cross Jinja branch held on Saturday at the branch offices located along Oboja roadin Jinja town.Mr Omilmot says the board resolved to sell off some prime land belonging to the Red Cross society at Lumumba Avenue and Ntinda to service the bank loans to avoid facing the wrath of the law and also reinstalling trust in their both local and foreign partners.
“Our partners were willing to come back and fund the organization but they worry was that these accounts would be frozen because of the accumulative debt, as long as we complete servicing it foreign funding will resume” he said.He admits that Red Cross society in Uganda was sharply divided during the time Mr Nataka was interdicted but they are struggling to strengthen systems, policies and amend the constitution to give way for everybody to be able to monitor and tame the implementers (management) to avoid another replica.
“The old system and policies gave much power to the management thereby operating without meaningful and successful supervision from members” According to Mr Omilmot, they also plan to devise means of information sharing for all members to be updated about the activities of the organization for easy monitoring and supervision.“We need to keep our members periodically like every after three months updated about what we have done and what we intend to do in the next quarter such that they keep the right and relevant information” he noted.Joel Kafuko, the chairperson for Red Cross Jinja branch urged members to contribute willingly and generously towards the activities of the society.However Ms Gladys Nakiboneka, the cluster manager for Jinja area which controls even Mukono branch said that ever since external funding was put to halt, they are struggling to function.
