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Mr. Moses R. Wilson and Mr. Francis Ssennoga are pleased to announce their joint candidacies for the positions of President and Vice President of the Ugandan North American Association. Their individual candidacy statements are presented below.
Please support us in our continued service to the Ugandan community in North America
 
Moses Wilson Francis Ssennoga
"Unity, Fresh Solutions, Competent Leadership and a Clear Direction."
Dear Friends,
Please allow me to begin by wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year. As with so many other people around the world, to me 2008 was a year best left behind with fresh hopes and aspirations for 2009.
This year is also important in the constitutional life of our largest Ugandan community organization - the Ugandan North American Association. Once again we shall all convene at the organization's annual convention (being held this year in Chicago) and elect a new Executive Board.
As you may remember, I run for the position of UNAA President in 2007 and was defeated. I subsequently retired from active community leadership and, for the most part, have stayed out of the limelight. However, this position was greatly tested when I attended last year's UNAA convention in Orlando and was subjected to the spectacle of an Executive Board in turmoil. No one who attended the organization's business forum could miss the tone of discord and, all to frequently, outright conflict within the Board. To my mind, this was an entity whose President was headed in one direction and many of its members another - a leadership conflict that seemed to often forget that UNAA has a binding constitution. This event gave me serious cause for thought and reflection.
A couple of weeks ago, I was privileged to participate in the inaugural dinner of the new Ugandan Association of California (UAC) here in Los Angeles. The function was a tremendous success and the organization ended the night with a registered membership of over 100.
However, along the way, the events leading up to the seceding of this organization from the Uganda Community Organization of California (UCOC) and the people involved gave me further cause to re-evaluate my position and role in both the local and national Ugandan communities. Ultimately, this reflection, as well as my active participation in the founding of UAC, led me to the conclusion that I just could not sit idly on the sidelines and accept the continuation of turmoil within the UNAA leadership.
As was case following the 2001 convention in Detroit, UNAA is an organization in dire need to unification, healing, competent leadership and a clear direction. As such, it is my pleasure to announce that I will actively seek election to the Presidency of UNAA at the upcoming convention in Chicago.
Sincerely,
Moses R. Wilson
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Fellow Community members,
I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for offering me the opportunity to serve you as UNAA Secretary General for two consecutive terms. I was exposed to this opportunity after my home community of Minnesota allowed me to lead two committees as marketing director and information technology services director for the great UNAA Convention 2005 that brought electronic UNAA registration.
Over the years from 2005 up to now, with your blessing, I have implemented more UNAA projects among which is the recent transformation of the UNAA registration process and delegate Checkin 1.0 system, that curtailed dishonesty of some guests and thus eliminated huge losses in hotel bills to UNAA that have in the past left some communities in debt. I thank the teams that I have worked with along the way, for providing me with the constant support in doing the work that you have assigned me in my two terms. My feelings for this generosity can only be summed up in this quote by George MacDonald:
"To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved."
As Secretary General, I have learnt that the work mentioned above is not without challenges. In 21 years, UNAA has created excitement, feelings of nostalgia, a back-at-home environment and many opportunities. At the same time UNAA has attracted people who want to be in the driver's seat but who could have used more training in constitutional matters, mentoring and team work. At this time, I can sadly report to you that the direction we have taken since 2007 is quite unclear. This is not to discount the hard work of the many board members I serve and have served with. But without a clear direction and a lack of constant consultation of the UNAA constitution, we can easily see 21 years of history in flames and ashes.
In an effort to steady the steering wheel, I hereby humbly ask you for your support for the position of the Vice Presidency of UNAA 2009 - 11. I hope to serve you with the same tenacity, passion and persistence.
Let us steady our UNAA ship with a fresh start of "unity, fresh solutions, competent leadership and clear direction".
Francis Ssennoga
Secretary General of UNAA
Aspiring Vice President of UNAA.
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