Roles of Ngo in Uganda and Requirements for their registration

a)  Role of Ngo board in Uganda

b)  and requirements for the registration of Ngo in Uganda.

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, environment or health. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations system differs depending on their goals, their venue and the mandate of a particular institution.

The board of directors is crucial to an NGO and is responsible for many specific tasks. The board’s main task is to govern and oversee the operations of the organization through acting as fiduciaries. In other words, the board is legally ,financially, and morally responsible for the organization.1 Each individual member of a board is significant and holds many responsibilities that help contribute to his or her work on the board as a whole[1].

According  article 4(1-6) calls for establishment of Ngo  as it provides that,

There shall be a board to be known as the National Board for Nongovernmental

Organisations.

The board shall consist of the following –

Three members from the public one of whom shall be a female;  One member from each of the ministries responsible for the following,, Internal affairs;Justice and constitutional affairs;Local governments;Health; Agriculture, animal industry and fisheries; Gender and social development; Education and sports , One member from the office of the Prime minister,One member from the Internal Security Organisation; and One member from the External Security Organisation[2].

However according  to chapter 113(7)(1) (a) up to (f) 1989 constitution amendment  put forward the following roles of the Ngo board.

Shall be to.

Consider applications for registration and incorporation by organizations;

This phrase that the  Ngo board shall always put into  consideration to  that  all Ngos in Uganda are  registered  and at the same time having the exact requirements  for their survival.

Keep a register of registered organizations;

The  Ngo board shall ensure that  all records concerning registered organizations are  kept in a well organized manner , protecting them from fraud and others  problems that may affect records.

Guide and monitor organizations in carrying out their services at all levels of  Government .

The Ngo board shall act as  a guiding father to all registered  and unregistered organizations, that is to say shall give  guide lines on how to control, monitor resources through its continuous  supervision  of the  organizations  in Uganda.

 Develop policy guidelines for community based organizations

Still, the  Ngo board, concerning the mandate it has, shall portray guidelines  for community based organizations (CBO) that’s those  organizations  that are fully based on community perspective.

Make recommendations to the relevant authorities in regard to employment of non citizens by an organisation, or whether an organisation may be exempted from taxes and duties or be accorded any other privileges or immunities;

Advise the Minister on the general policy relating to the operations of

organizations[3].  The  Ngo board help to advise the minister of internal affairs on matters concerning   organization  that have been registered with   the law. It helps to give  policy guidelines and decisions on how to control, monitor, supervision of the organization.

Having looked at the roles that the Ngo board play, let us also look at  the  crutial things that one should put into consideration when registering  an Ngo.

A  letter of recommendation.

You need a letter of recommendation written by Local Council Chairman I (LC I). This must recommend the organization. On the same letter, the Chairman LC II, LC III and Resident District Commissioner (RDC) should each endorse their signatures and stamp. The organization can use the LC I from the area where it has its Headquarters. Getting this recommendation is usually easy and straight forward. In some cases (not always) you may need to pay a very modest administrative fee to LC I and LC II.

      

A written recommendation of two sureties or recommenders.

The Organization should have written recommendation of two sureties or recommenders who should each write separately recommending the organization. Technical areas of activities need recommendation from the concerned line Ministry/Department. The word surety here is used, not in the legal sense or guarantor but more like a recommender. Such a person should be knowledgeable in the areas of operations or activities and be of integrity.

Work plan

The Organization should have a work plan or its activities to be carried out for the first year of the term of operation. The activities or work plan for the one year should have budget that is  to say how much is to be spent on each of those activities (this is tentative budget). The budget should reflect the work plan.

Two copies of constitution

The organization should have two copies of the constitution or by By-Laws or Rules and should have a provision in it specifying the purposes for which the funds are to be utilized.

Organizational chat.

The NGO should have an Organizational Chart/Administrative chart showing its leadership.

Registration fee.

Every indigenous NGO is to pay 15,000/= registration fee and not more than that.

Filling forms.

Every organization is to fill Form A which should be duly completed and signed by at least two promoters. The names of the promoters should be printed in front of their signatures on the form. Promoters are the owners of the organization.

Papers /application

The Organization should bring all its papers/application on a Spring Manila File Cover.

Writing a letter

The organization should write a letter to the Secretary NGO Board specifying the area of their operation. This is what will be printed on the permit once granted. This is a contentious issue as if you have to carry out activities in areas other than that stated on your permit, you are expected to get permission from the NGO Board. It may be advisable to use words such as nationwide or state a broad range of places you hope to work in.

The Registrar General’s Office

Every organization should reserve its name with the Registrar General’s Office at the Ministry of Justice. This is done to make sure that no other organization will use your names or the name of the organization is free to be used by you. In case of subsequent change of names, a reservation must be done again. This usually takes less than a month, but the applicant may need to keep a close follow up with a contact person at the Registrar of Companies.

If the organization has a Foreigner working with it or the Foreigner is coming to join them, the organization should read section 13 of Non-Governmental Act 2006 (amended) and Regulations.

A Foreigner coming to assist the organization by staying with it should bring his or her:- Photocopies of his/her qualification papers, Present Immigration Status in the Country , A letter from his/her home Government that the subject has no criminal record. That is to say. He or she is of good conduct, A letter appointing the subject to the position he/she is going to occupy.

All organizations seeking Entry Permits/Visas for foreigners on behalf of the NGO should get endorsement/recommendations from the NGO Board. This is to make sure that the Board/Secretariat is aware of such immigrants working with NGOs and the information of such immigrants is available on the NGOs File.

Certificate of incorporation

The NGO Board sits once every month. Any registering NGO should expect its Certificate of Incorporation after a month of lodging its papers. This is not always the case and there is often an applications back log and it’s not a guarantee that an application for registration will be completed in a month. All Lawyers, consultants are advised to come with at least one of the officials of the organization being represented. The Secretariat will not welcome documents without their officials. Collection of Permits/Incorporation Certificates is by any official of the organization. Any other parties sent for that purpose should have authority letters from the organization.

When an organization closes down (even temporarily) the NGO Board should be informed.[4]

All in all, the Ngo board in Uganda has a mandate to make sure that all organizations are registered  in an organized way  with  efficiency, prudency and  vigilance.

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[1] Hummel, Joan M. (1996). Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization

  Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

[2] The  1989 constitution chapter 113(4)(1-6).

[3] Chapter 113(7)(1) (a) up to (f) 1989 constitution

[4] Adapted from the official guidelines note provided by the NGO Board in the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Getting Rich Through a Career

1. 1
   Excel academically. Whether it's a four year college or vocational training, most successful people pursue further education beyond high school. In the early stages of a career, your employers have little to go off besides your educational background. Pursue an appropriate degree.
2. 2
   Choose the right profession. Look at research survey salaries which indicate average annual incomes for specific professions. Your odds of getting rich are way less if your pursue a career in teaching than a career in finance.
3. 3
   Choose the right location. Go where the good jobs are. If you want to pursue finance, for example, there are far greater opportunities in big cities than in rural, low-populated areas.
4. 4
   Get an entry-level job and work your way up. Play the numbers game. Apply to many places and conduct many interviews. When you get your job, stick with it to get the experience you need to advance.
5. 5
   Change jobs and employer. By changing your environment, you can increase your pay, experience different corporate cultures and reduce risk. Don't be afraid to do this many times. If you're a valued employee, it's also likely your current company may offer you a raise or other benefits if they know you're looking at leaving.

Getting Rich Through Investing

1. Invest your money in education. Go to universities and obtain degrees that are considered in your chosen profession. You sometimes have to spend money to make money. For example, if you're interested in business and obtain an MBA, the money you spent on that will likely earn itself back in a few years.
2. Put money in the stock market. Invest money in stocks, bonds, or other vehicles of investment that will give you an annual return on investment (ROI) that's enough to maintain you in your retirement. For instance, if you have one million dollars invested and you get a reliable 7% ROI, that's $70,000 per year!
3. Invest in real estate. Relatively stable assets like rental properties or potential development land in steadily growing areas is a good example. These are purchases whose value will likely increase over time. Your odds of that happening are better in some spots than other. For example, an apartment in Manhattan is guaranteed to increase over a five-year period.
4. Invest your time. For example, you might like having free time, so you give yourself a few hours a day to do nothing. But if you were to invest those few hours into getting rich, you could work towards having 20 years of free time (24 hours a day!) with early retirement. What can you give up now in exchange for being rich later?
   
   
5. Avoid purchases whose value is guaranteed to decline. Spending $50,000 on a car is usually considered a waste because it's a guarantee that it won't be worth that much in 5 years, regardless of how much work you put into it.
6. Stay rich. It's hard to get rich, but it's even harder to stay rich. Your wealth is always going to be affected by the market, and the market has its ups and downs. If you get too comfortable when times are good, you'll quickly drop back to square one when the market hits a slump. If you get a promotion or a raise, or if your ROI goes up a percentage point, don't spend the extra. Save it for when business is slow and your ROI goes down two percentage points.

Getting Rich Through a Career

1. Excel academically. Whether it's a four year college or vocational training, most successful people pursue further education beyond high school. In the early stages of a career, your employers have little to go off besides your educational background. Pursue an appropriate degree.
2. Choose the right profession. Look at research survey salaries which indicate average annual incomes for specific professions. Your odds of getting rich are way less if your pursue a career in teaching than a career in finance.
3. Choose the right location. Go where the good jobs are. If you want to pursue finance, for example, there are far greater opportunities in big cities than in rural, low-populated areas.
4. Get an entry-level job and work your way up. Play the numbers game. Apply to many places and conduct many interviews. When you get your job, stick with it to get the experience you need to advance.
5. Change jobs and employer. By changing your environment, you can increase your pay, experience different corporate cultures and reduce risk. Don't be afraid to do this many times. If you're a valued employee, it's also likely your current company may offer you a raise or other benefits if they know you're looking at leaving.

NGO

The term NGO is a wide thing and engulfs many different types of organizations. In the field of development, NGOs range from large, Northern-based charities such as CARE, Oxfam and World Vision to community-based self-help groups. They also include research institutes, churches, professional associations and lobby groups.

The World Bank tends to interact with two main categories of NGOs: (Operational NGOs)- whose primary purpose is the design and implementation of development-related projects, and; (Advocacy NGOs) - whose primary purpose is to defend or promote a specific cause and who seek to influence the policies and practices of the World Bank.

According  to the world Bank records; NGOs  are defined as "private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, or undertake community development" (Operational Directive).  In wider usage, the term NGO can be applied to any non-profit organization which is independent from government.  NGOs are typically value-based organizations which depend, in whole or in part, on charitable donations and voluntary service.  Although the NGO sector has become increasingly professional over the last two decades, principles of altruism and voluntarism remain key defining characteristics.

The term NGO can also be defined as, a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any form of government. The term originated from the United Nations (UN), and is normally used to refer to organizations that are not a part of the government and are not conventional for-profit business. In the cases in which NGOs are funded totally or partially by governments, the NGO maintains its non-governmental status by excluding government representatives from membership in the organization. The term is usually applied only to organizations that pursue wider social aims that have political aspects, but are not openly political organizations such as political parties.

However according  to me as a student  can define the term Ngo(s) as an private founded organization(s) that are not part of the government control, that provide civil service  to the livelihoods  of the community with out the anticipation of profits in the long run. And in most cases, they focus on the poor natives of the region. For example Ngos like save the child, UNHCR, WFP, HOPE and others. All focus on the poor who are in total cost of living.

The contribution of NGOs to good governance and development is now widely acknowledged by citizens, governments and the international development community, even though this varies from country to country. In a world characterized by unequal development, social, economic and political injustices, conflict and marginalization, many NGOs have emerged to challenge the status quo and provide hope to millions of people.

NGOs not only deliver essential services to disadvantaged citizens, they also offer space through which political, social and economic pressure is built to challenge injustices. In Uganda, the NGO contribution to the health and relative stability of the country cannot be underestimated: Programmes and innovations in service delivery, advocacy and citizen empowerment, have been valuable. The NGO sector, and civil society generally, is however still perceived by government, political actors, development partners and even some sections of civil society itself to be either �weak�, fragmented, or too apolitical, and lacking in conviction and relevance to tackle fast changing social, economic and political dynamics. While this perception is partly informed by the lack of a systematic documentation of the value of the NGO sector in our country�s development, it also points to the need for NGOs to do a lot more. This strategy reflects both positive and critical views on the NGO sector.

However on the other hand, A sustainable organization is one that can continue its activities into the future. Before any activity is started, the NGO has to ask “How long can we continue?" Not how long we would like to continue, but how long we definitely can continue – to provide, supervise, motivate, train or do what the project needs. Once you are clear about the lifespan that you can guarantee, then you can fit your activities to the time you have. There may be pressure to plan long-term projects even when the money is not around: your colleagues will be optimistic and assume that funding will appear; and they hope that their jobs and salaries will continue into the future. But it is not that easy.

The basic measures taken to ensure sustainability of NGO work.

·  Governance and Strategic Management; The Strategic Management for Leaders of Non-Government Organizations program gives nonprofit and NGO leaders the tools, perspectives, and frameworks needed to strengthen leadership of their organizations, engage constituent communities, and cultivate long-term partnerships. Through cutting edge research, case studies, and presentations tailored to the unique needs of NGOs, this program provides the skills NGO leaders need to develop and implement strategies to increase value to their community and constituents.

·         Financial Sustainability; Managing the money is a subject that anyone starting an NGO needs to grasp well. You need to be comfortable with accounting terminology and have confidence in the bookkeeping system you use.

·         Leadership and Human Resource Management; Human resources are of a key importance for NGO sustainability. Ongoing development of these resources is essential for a successful NGO. Professional development activities in NGOs are important for ensuring sustainability of available human resources as a motivational factor, and for development of NGO services in general. “ If you want an NGO to have a good reputation, you have to have good specialists”

·         Leadership and Human Resource Management; Human resources are of a key importance for NGO sustainability. Ongoing development of these resources is essential for a successful NGO. Professional development activities in NGOs are important for ensuring sustainability of available human resources as a motivational factor, and for development of NGO services in general. “ If you want an NGO to have a good reputation, you have to have good specialists”. Still NGO leader’s personality is very important and can affect the sustainability in double ways. Thus, skills developed within the organization should be institutionalized not to be dependent on a personality. “ In general, leader has been always important in our society, we are a country of leaders rather than law… If there is a leader which imagine mission, goals, resources, targets of the organization, and appropriate management style, then it is more probable that the sustainability of the organization will be more long-lasting”

·         Service Provision and Administrative System. Elements of service delivery system including need assessment, monitoring, provision mechanisms, and evaluation, are used in part of NGOs involved in service provision; however, all these elements are usually not seen in their complexity, while implementation is usually more emphasized by NGOs. Further more One of key aspects of service provision is effective marketing of NGO services which is at place mostly only when an external assistance is provided.

·         External Relations and Partnership .Collaboration with other organizations is valued as a factor for sustainability. However, in practice this approach is not always utilized. “There is a jealousy and contest among our NGOs. When any of them win a grant they are trying to keep that from others. Still Seminars and other joint events serve as a good ground for NGOs in terms of exchange of information and for settling personal contacts. In this regard, joint events organized by development agencies and Resource Centers have been of a great support to organizations in enlarging the scopes of partnership with each other.

·        Capacity-Building Assistance Many findings briefed above show that NGOs still need technical and capacity-building assistance. External assistance is crucial for NGO capacity development for a range of reasons:. Lack of financial resources for operational expenses and for capacity development; Need in coaching and consultation in planning and implementation of capacity development activities; Nonprofits needing development do not and could not have enough awareness on their development gaps and opportunities.

·         Planning and Need Assessment. Research proves that participatory approaches are more efficient both in terms of sound need assessment as well as all stake-holder involvement in the process and creating ownership of development effort. “ You must support the involvement of people in the process from the beginning. If you come and say let do this project now, it doesn’t work.”

FOREIGN EXPERIENCE IN AFRICA

A Foreign Experience:
Violence, crime and xenophobia
during South Africa's transition

by

Kasule Muhammad

Acknowledgments

Thank you to all who participated in this research project for sharing your stories and experiences. Thank you also to the following people:

Brandon Hamber and Piers Pigou for their supervision of the project. Craig Higson-Smith, Barbara English of Wordsmiths, and Brandon Hamber for editing the report. To the refugee facilitators for translating and transcribing the interviews, particularly Venancio Simoa, Mohammed Guillied, Aime Ndyisaba, Venancio Simoa and Sileshi Tegegne. CSVR staff, particularly Marivic Garcia, Frances Spencer, Mary Robertson, Graeme Simpson, Carnita Ernest, Lauren Segal, Sasha Gear, Nokuthula Skhosana, Tebogo Mafokoane, Goodwill Ditlhage, Bea Abrahams, Helen Hajiyiannis, and the Research Committee for all of their support, advice and assistance throughout this project. David McDonald and Anne Mitchell of the South African Migration Project for running a keyword search on the SAMP media data-base. Derek Hook, Wardie Leppan of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for his ongoing support of the Violence and Transition Project. A number of people have generously shared their knowledge about the 'foreigner field'. These include: Uli Albrecht, Florencia Belvedere, Abeda Bhamjee, Deborah Ho, Nicola Johnstone, Jonathan Klaaren, Ann Kirkman, Jody Kollapen, Zonke Majodina, Jennifer Parsley, Sally-Ann Peberdy, Jaya Ramji, Andrew Rens, Pumla Rulashe, Sally Sealy, Bertus Swanevelder, Joyce Tlou, AnaisTuepkar, Jacob van Garderen and Nicola Woodin.

This booklet was funded by International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

The Violence and Transition Series is a product of an extensive research project conducted by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) into the nature and extent of violence during South Africa’s transition from apartheid rule to democracy. This series comprises a set of self-contained, but interrelated reports, which explore violence across the period 1980 to 2000 within key social loci and areas, including:

·         Revenge Violence and Vigilantism;

·         Foreigners (immigrants and refugees);

·         Hostels and Hostel Residents;

·         Ex-combatants;

·         State Security Forces (police and military), and

·         Taxi violence.

While each report grapples with the dynamics of violence and transition in relation to its particular constituency all are underpinned by the broad objectives of the series, namely:

·         To analyse the causes, extent and forms of violence in South Africa across a timeframe that starts before the political transition and moves through the period characterised by political transformation and reconciliation to the present;

·         To assess the legacy of a violent past and the impact of formal democratisation and transition on the contemporary nature of violence by researching continuities and changes in its form and targets;

·         To investigate the role of perpetrators and victims of violence across this timeframe;

·         To evaluate reconciliation strategies and institutions, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established to ameliorate future violence in South Africa;

·         To develop a macro-theory for understanding violence in countries moving from authoritarian to democratic rule, i.e. 'countries in transition', and

·         To contribute to local and international debates about reconciliation and justice for perpetrators and victims of gross violations of human rights.

Through these objectives, the Violence and Transition Series aims to inform and benefit policy analysts, government officials and departments, non-governmental and civic organisations, and researchers working in the fields of:

·         Violence prevention;

·         Transitional criminal justice;

·         Victim empowerment;

·         Truth commissions;

·         Reconciliation;

·         Human rights, and

·         Crime prevention.

As a country emerging from a past characterised by violence and repression South Africa faces new challenges with the slow maturation of democracy. Violence today is complex, dynamic and creative in form shaped by both apartheid and the mechanisms of transition itself. In order to understand - and prevent - violence during transition in South Africa and abroad an ongoing action-research agenda is required. Through this series the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation offers an initial and exploratory, yet detailed, contribution to this process.