I have read the report and have some comments for your consideration... 1) Report should acknowledge the unfortunate incidence that led to the untimely death of some dear brothers who were on their way to attend one of the WNF's friday night fndraising events.
2) Governance of WNF should be revisited to ensure that all the 11 or so counties are represented on the Board of Directors - that is: the board must consist of a board member from each of the counties of West Nile and Madi. I beleive I may have alluded to this when the foundation was being formed. We have to clearly separate the role of teh Executive vfrom that of the Board. Currently, the board is acting as an executive board. Do we want this to continue? I think WNF must have separate roles for the board of directors which is to focus on strategic policy and giving direction to the executive. The executive must comprise the MD who is the CEO of the Foundation who then interfaces with the board of directors and the staff once the foundation is running on full throttle. 3) New Listserve -- Thanks a million to Mr Kigundu for generously supporting us with a free listserve for the last 5 years. Happy that WNF will explore other options for a website and listserve. You may wish to consider yahoogroups for a free website/listserve which many other organizayions are using including kobokonet. You may wish to reach out to west nilers who can volunteer and build a new website for free. Once WNF moves to the new website please ensure access is password controlled. Right now when one googles WESTNILENET, yu can read all the exchanges between /among members. I was very surprised to read behind the scened exchanges between the executive members in which some are clearly frsutrated by the lack of commitment to attend meetings etc.. Please make sure any deliberations are kep confidential especially among the executive as it shows lack of professionalism. 4) Transparency and Openeness .. Like many of members, I was surprised to learn of the WNF Logo and appointment of an interim coordinator. We expected that the logo would be presented to the members as a draft but was presented as a fait acompli. Secondly, the executive would have saved members a lot of frustraion if they had communicated the appoitment of an interim coordinator. General observation 5) An issue arose where Chrsitine Munduru was disconnected from the net. So far I am not sure whether Chrsistine is back or not. A nmber of people have been ejected from the net but this was after an outcry by a lot of members. However, the circumstances leading to Munduru's exit still remain unknown. perhaps we should once again circulate to members the code of conduct. This is it for now...I may add more over the coming days... On 7/21/13, Maandera <ibmaand...@gmail.com> wrote: > Dear all, > > I have read the State of the Net report and some of the related comments > contributed. I wish to add my contribution, focusing on the following > randomly selected issues. > > *1. The report per se*: I do agree with those who think that this Report > *is > * welcome, timely, worth it, etc. Thanks a lot for listening to members > pleas. > > As a "Status" report, I think it is presented with a White hat on (to > borrow Edward de Bono’s schema), though there are some aspects of the Black > hat in it: see sub-section 1.5 on "Challenges faced along the way". > > > Considering the nature of the report and the years and activities done, I > want to take it more as a "summary status report" than a "comprehensive > status report". The history was new to me, and informative too. > > > *1. 1. Missing document*: Is it an issue of the control system of the WNN > listserve? One of the attachments said to be attached with the report is > still missing. And, it is the constitution, which is a very important > document. Mr. Kiggundu, I know you have done a good job, without > complaining so far, about providing this service for free. Might you help > to ensure this constitution is availed to the net. This would be good for > new comers. > > (By the way, those who are long enough in this net might already have a > copy of this. Though I am rather confused about the issues. One time Mr. > Robert Ejiku attached the Memorandum of Association of the WNF. And I am > wondering if this is the same thing . . . I don't want to presume things. > Please clarify.) > > *1. 2. The logo:* I like it. Thanks for the team that made it possible. > > > > *2. The West Nile Night*: Long live the WN Night and those behind it – the > Committee and others who might not be members of the Committee! It > certainly sounds like something worth continuing. > > > > *3. Education agenda of the WNF*: In 1.4.1, while noting support in > Tertiary institutions, it is noted that the Foundation will encourage and > support students in "their activities which the Foundation deems relevant". > How about including and formally working with the administration of these > institutions where the Foundation will be supporting the students as well? > > *3.1. Model school:* Is the to-be model school going to be a Primary, or > Secondary school or both? What’s the plan like? > > *3.2. Other areas:* Hope in due course we can have some more detail about > other areas such as Agriculture, Health (as already suggested by one member > in responding to this report). > > > > *4. Membership*: Under 2.2 “West Nile Foundation Education Trust Fund > (Trust deed)” there are 3 sub-sections. Under subsection 2, the “Tentative > list of paid up members” is provided. It has 22 members, who have paid up > membership fee of UG.shs 20,000 /= and an annual subscription of 10,000/= > (which only 5 of the listed members have paid.). Just to synch my > confusion: in the Memorandum of Association referred to above and attached, > there was a list of 101 “founding?” members. This list of 22 persons being > the only list of “paid up members” in this report, I am left with a > question: Is this membership for WNF Education Trust Fund *only* or is it > the paid up membership status update for the general WNF? (See also my > comment under 6.2). Forgive my lack of understanding but a confusion also > arises for me because when in 2011, issues of membership were discussed in > this forum, I thought the figure agreed upon was UG.shs 50,000/= for > membership fee (of the WNF). Before the failed General Meeting of 2011, I > even paid this 50,000/= to the Treasurer for membership and have his > acknowledgement to this effect. (Though my name has never surfaced anywhere > as a member of the WNF). > > > > *4.1 For curiosity’s sake*, Mr. Kiggundu, would it be possible to let us > know just how many people are subscribed into the WNF? I know there are > people who have kept on asking to be deleted from the list. An update would > give a good idea of what the potential is. I bet it will also help us > appreciate how many members are ROMs (*R*ead *O*nly *M*embers) and why they > choose / prefer to be ROMs. Much appreciated. > > > > *4.2 What’s in a name?* Under 2.6, “Tasks accomplished to date”, it is > noted among others that “The Trust Deed for the WEETF has finally been > developed and it is in the final stages of being duly registered . . .” > > *4.3 Draft Strategic Plan:* I remember a Draft Strategic Plan was issued in > 2011 and was shared in this Net. I think some people commented on it too. > Under 2.6.(6) in the Report, there is mention of this: a “Draft Strategic > plan of WNF has been drawn and this will be shared with members in due > course”. Is this the going to be an updated version? Waiting to see the > changes. > > * * > > *5. The Executive serving as volunteers: *I was rather surprised at the > membership of the Interim Executive, put in place at “DMO’s place” with > others co-opted along the way. Members, we have a full house, complete with > Standing Committees! Moreover the task of leading this Foundation is what > the members are said to have “gladly accepted to undertake” (1.3, Report). > From the “look” of things (or readings in the WNF), it would appear that > some members of the leadership might have a completely different adjective > describing their experience. Anyhow, thanks still for having gladly > accepted to do this task. > > > *5.1: The Gender Committee: *I notice there no males in the Gender > Committee. Any specific reason? It would be good to have the perspectives > of the other side as well. > > > *5.2 Coordinator of WNF activities:* One of the positive propositions of > the Interim Executive has been the appointment of Richard Okuti Boroa as a > Coordinator for 6 months. I hope will sort out some of the Foundation is > facing, particularly in pushing things forward. And thanks Richard, for > offering to run the activities from your private office. (Where can we find > this office?) > > *5.3 The TOR of the Coordinator of the WNF.* I have a request to make – > that the said TOR for the Coordinator (which has been “adjusted to suit the > 6-month period”) be made public in this Net. This will serve several > purposes like ensuring members do not expect more from him than he is > mandated to; enabling members to make suggestions on the TOR; and enabling > members to support the Coordinator or appraise his work, considering the > conditions under which he is working. > > *5.4 Specification of the 6 months*. Just a question: Has this 6-month > period already begun? If “No”, when will it begin? > > > > *6. What’s in a name? * > > *6.1. WNF – is it a Lugbara thing?* I think the observation is apt. It even > made me wonder if that was one of the reasons why one also hears of a > KKnet? Who knows, other districts / areas are also thinking of doing the > same or have started similar ‘organs’? > > Anyhow, the suggestion of members of how this perception of WNF as an Arua > thing, may have come about holds water. In addition, members might want to > consider the fact that sometimes things have centred in Arua simply because > of the historical role Arua has played in the region, and for > practical-cum-infrastructural reasons. This was also an underlying factor > in the establishment of Muni University (initially called West Nile > University). > > There are also good suggestions for how to alter this perception. Let’s > grab these and make this organization move forward for the good of the > region. > > *6.2. Clarification of status*: One person (Tabu) has already asked this: > Is the status that of “a development pressure group, civil society > organisation, a community initiative, a company limited by shares or just a > Foundation”. If you search this Net, you will find that on 14th Oct, 2010, > Mr. Alaka posted to this net a Certificate of Incorporation for West Nile > Foundation Limited, dated 8th October, 2010. (Being a “njuka” in the WNN > then, I downloaded and saved a copy of it). I remember, members were very > happy about this achievement and many did express this in black and white > on the Net. > > I guess when one reads under 2.6.3 in the Report that “The Trust Deed for > the WNETF has finally been developed and it is in the final stages of being > duly registered”, things get a little murky. Though for purposes of > separate accountability, it does make sense to have a separate account for > the Education agenda. Still, some clarification would be useful, as to the > purpose of this specific registration considering the fact that other areas > / agenda’s of the WNF are still going to pick up. Does this mean each area > of activity (e.g. Health, Agriculture, Environment) will be separately > registered? I thought we would use the already registered organization to > open separate accounts if/when needed. You may have to forgive me for being > this duff: registration of organizations is like football to me J What > necessitates this other registration of the WNF Education Trust Fund or > Trust Deed is what I do not understand yet. > > > > *7. Associate membership:* I guess the Constitution would have clarified > this, to address concerns of the many who are not native to the WN but have > interests for the good of the region. Anyhow, thanks Caleb for the > clarifying response. > > > > My humble contribution. > > > Maandera > > > > > > On Thu, Jul 18, 2013 at 2:17 PM, Robert Ejiku <ejikurob...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> Presida, >> >> Banduga raises a good point here and I think we should be able to improve >> our communications and actions to capture our rich diversity. >> >> Thanks >> >> Ejiku >> >> >> On Thu, Jul 18, 2013 at 11:55 AM, banduga ismail >> <bani...@yahoo.co.uk>wrote: >> >>> Thank you Caleb for this elaborate report. For many of us who did not >>> know well what had happened and was happening, this report gives us an >>> insight. I think it is high time we paid up our membership and annual >>> subscriptions. >>> >>> One thing in the report set me thinking for a while. The thinking that >>> WNF is a Lugbara thing is an aspect we should collectively try to >>> dispel. >>> In my experience, most institutions that begin actually do so from an >>> idea >>> of one or two individuals, who in most cases may be of the same tribe, >>> faith or come from the same place. As the thinking spreads with time, >>> this >>> challenge often comes up. In the way the President put it, it does not >>> seem >>> to be an alarming thing; however, I think we should try to demystify it >>> so >>> that we enjoy the benefits of collective bargaining as the people of >>> West >>> Nile. >>> >>> It possible to understand from the organizers Foundation events e.g. the >>> West Nile Night, Education Trust how the attendance or participation has >>> been in terms of diversity of West Nile (different ethnic groupings) and >>> whether there are reasons other than interest or lack of it to explain >>> the >>> trends. >>> >>> "your greatest enemies are not those who shout at everything you say; >>> they are those who keep quiet" >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> *From:* Godfrey Mundua <gmun...@gmail.com> >>> *To:* A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net> >>> *Sent:* Wednesday, 17 July 2013, 16:01 >>> *Subject:* Re: [WestNileNet] State of the Foundation Address >>> >>> Counsel, >>> Good and timely response with this comprehensive report. >>> I hope this finally puts doubting minds to rest. >>> Time now for everyone in the mailing list and all concerned about WNF to >>> respond to the report with positive criticism and suggestions if any. >>> Thanks once again. >>> GOD BLESS! >>> >>> Mundua Godfrey (IT) >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 2:43 PM, tabua butagira >>> <tbutag...@yahoo.com>wrote: >>> >>> Thanks, Caleb, for this detailed write-up. I hope the emerging >>> discussions on this report by members (after perusal) will be hinged on >>> action needed, not free-wheeling rhetoric. Let's invest our time, ideas, >>> professional or personal networks, cash/material or other such resources >>> to >>> fully lift the initiative off the ground. >>> >>> That appears tto be he clarion call in the President's message, if I >>> haven't adulterated the intepretation. >>> >>> Except for some dropped words, the document is comprehensive and >>> informative. >>> >>> I'm hoping the Foundation leadership particularly clarifies WNF's >>> status; >>> do we categorise it as a development pressure group, civil society >>> organisation, a community initiative, a company limited by shares or just >>> a >>> Foundation so that its operational relationship - opportunities and >>> limitations - with other stakeholders is easier to discern and >>> rationalise. >>> >>> I bow in respect, Counsel! >>> >>> Tabu Butagira >>> >>> >>> >>> *From:* Onugbea Williams <onug...@yahoo.com> >>> *To:* samuel andema <andema...@yahoo.co.uk>; Caleb Alaka < >>> calebal...@yahoo.com>; A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile < >>> westnilenet@kym.net>; A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile < >>> westnilenet@kym.net> >>> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 17, 2013 12:15 PM >>> >>> *Subject:* Re: [WestNileNet] State of the Foundation Address >>> >>> >>> Good state of foundation address. >>> please H.E, could you add the intervention and thier numbers especially >>> from items 1.4.3 to 1.4.6 >>> Regards >>> *From:* samuel andema <andema...@yahoo.co.uk> >>> *To:* Caleb Alaka <calebal...@yahoo.com>; A Virtual Network for friends >>> of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net>; A Virtual Network for friends of >>> West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net> >>> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 17, 2013 7:59 AM >>> *Subject:* Re: [WestNileNet] State of the Foundation Address >>> >>> Ha ha ha ha ha... >>> Kaleb, who told you we don't have leader of opposition in this "virtual >>> parliament"? Do you remember father Rofino's piece about the >>> conversation >>> between a priest and a Christian whom the priest asked whether he ever >>> prays and the man said yes he prays, and when the priest asked how come >>> he >>> had never seen him in the church the man replied that he is in the >>> "secret >>> service"! We might be having leaders of opposition who are in the >>> "secret >>> service" to use father's words. >>> >>> But on a serious note I wish to thank you and the executive committee >>> for >>> taking the time to respond to many concerns over lack of feedback from >>> the >>> leadership. I hope to read through the document carefully to be able to >>> make an appropriate response. >>> >>> Once again thank you very much for your positive response. >>> >>> Sam >>> >>> *From:* Caleb Alaka <calebal...@yahoo.com> >>> *To:* A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <westnilenet@kym.net> >>> *Sent:* Tuesday, 16 July 2013, 13:28 >>> *Subject:* [WestNileNet] State of the Foundation Address >>> >>> Dear Colleagues, please find attached a state of the Foundation Address >>> for your deliberations, comments, dissection. As the Virtual Parliament, >>> your positive contribution will be appreciated. Note that since we have >>> no >>> position of Leader of Opposition, we hope for constructive criticism. >>> >>> May the Almighty God bless all of you >>> >>> Caleb Alaka >>> LLB (Hons) MUK >>> Diploma Legal Practice LDC >>> MBA (ESAMI) >>> LLM >>> Doctoral Student >>> President West Nile Foundation >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> WestNileNet mailing list >>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>> >>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>> >>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>> way. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> WestNileNet mailing list >>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>> >>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>> >>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>> way. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> WestNileNet mailing list >>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>> >>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>> >>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>> way. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> WestNileNet mailing list >>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>> >>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>> >>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>> way. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> *It always seems impossible until it is done!* >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> WestNileNet mailing list >>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>> >>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>> >>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>> way. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> WestNileNet mailing list >>> WestNileNet@kym.net >>> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >>> >>> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >>> >>> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >>> way. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> WestNileNet mailing list >> WestNileNet@kym.net >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> >> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> >> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any >> way. >> _______________________________________________ >> >> > _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list WestNileNet@kym.net http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
