KITGUM, June 25, 2026 — After nearly a decade of dormancy, East Acholi Cooperative Union Limited is set to mark a major milestone in its revival this Saturday with elections for a new chairperson, vice-chairperson and treasurer.
The milestone election marks the culmination of a painstaking recovery process that began in March 2025 but was delayed by various setbacks and interference.
According to Alex Opira, the Principal District Commercial Officer for Kitgum, the union will establish a full governance structure for the first time since holding its last Annual General Meeting in 2017.
Founded in 1951, East Acholi Cooperative Union is a producer cooperative that previously served farmers and entrepreneurs across in East Acholi comprising districts like Kitgum, Lamwo, Pader, and Agago, before becoming inactive. The union was established to facilitate market access, provide financial services and offer value-added support to its members.
However, financial mismanagement, weak accountability mechanisms and leadership challenges following the death of board chairperson Kalmark Obote Acellam in 2019 contributed to its decline.
“The number of members has dropped below the required threshold in many societies we visited. That is why we are talking about revival,” Opira said in a recent interview with this reporter. “We are not only reviving the union but also revitalising the primary societies.”
The union’s decline accelerated after 2017, while restrictions introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 limited gatherings and further weakened the operations of its primary societies. Although the revival process officially commenced in March 2025, implementation encountered delays.
District commercial officers from the four East Acholi districts have since led training and provided technical guidance to help primary societies meet operational requirements. Of the 118 primary societies originally under the union, 108 are now active.
Ten primary societies from Abim and Karenga districts in the Karamoja Sub-region are not sending delegates, and the union may discontinue engagement with them since its mandate is focused on East Acholi.
The June 27 elections will complete the leadership structure after delegates from the 108 primary societies elected eight of the nine board representatives at constituency level. Those elected board members are now eligible to contest for the three top executive positions, according to Opira.
He added that an advert issued by the chairperson of the vetting committee on June 20 invited applications for the positions of chairperson, vice-chairperson and treasurer, while applications also remain open for the supervisory committee.
“By now, we are expected to convene an Annual General Meeting to elect the three positions,” Opira said. “The board election process has already been completed; what remains is leadership selection.”
Opira commended the district commercial officers for steering what he described as a demanding process and thanked delegates from the primary societies for their active participation.
“Our goal is to restore East Acholi Cooperative Union to its former glory,” he said.
He added that once a full board and executive are in place, East Acholi Cooperative Union Limited will be positioned to resume its core mandate of strengthening farmer organisations, improving market access and restoring financial services for members across the sub-region.
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country- wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
