Banyankole Kweterana Coop Boss Dismissed from Office

Mbarara – Members of Banyankole Kweterana Cooperative Union have dismissed their chairperson, Geoffrey Baingana, over abuse of his position and allegations of stifling the growth of the cooperative.

Baingana was also accused of influence peddling, conniving with company lawyers to cheat the company and failure to account for funds advanced to his office as well as authorising unclear expenditure.

Baingana was booted out following a special general meeting at the cooperative’s head office in Mbarara district at the weekend. The members elected Dawson Mwijuka as the new chairperson.

Sources indicate that the meeting, presided over by the registrar of cooperatives, also recommended that a special audit be conducted within two months to ascertain the expenditure and income of the union.

Baingana had led the western district union as chairperson since 2009.

Nelson Niwahebwa, the general manager for Banyankole Kweterana, said that the meeting, which was presided over by officials from the Trade and Industry ministry, was called after members filed a petition and demanded a special general meeting.

He said that the ministry will make further inquiries and investigations into the matters that were raised by the members.

Kieth Atuhaire, one of the members, told theCooperator that the deposed chairperson had been running the union as a personal business and never wanted his decisions to be questioned, which he said was a challenge to development.

Baingana declined to comment on the matter, saying that the union management should be the one to discuss it since the actions are official.