Members of the Kitgum Taxi Owners and Drivers Cooperative Society Limited have elected new leaders following years of internal disputes over financial accountability, governance and the management of members’ contributions.
The election was held on Wednesday, months after members called for leadership changes at a meeting in May 2026. At the meeting, members accused the previous executive of financial mismanagement, poor governance and intimidating those who demanded greater accountability.
The Members said they had received limited information on the use of cooperative funds since 2022. In the election, conducted through an open vote in which members lined up behind their preferred candidates, Peter Odong was re-elected chairperson for another four-year term. Odong received 123 of the 149 votes cast, defeating his only challenger, Richard Ottocon, who received 26 votes. Emmanuel Okonya was elected vice chairperson after securing 130 of the 161 votes cast.
The election followed concerns over the cooperative’s financial position, particularly the reported decline in its account balance from about 30 million Shillings in 2023 to 10 million Shillings today. Members said they had not received satisfactory explanations for the difference.
They also questioned why financial records covering earlier years were excluded from an audit report presented at a previous Annual General Meeting. Some members accused the former leadership of restricting access to financial information.
The disputes prompted the intervention of municipal and district cooperative officials, who urged the new leadership to improve financial accountability, strengthen governance and comply with cooperative laws and the society’s bylaws. Darwin Opoka, the Principal Commercial Officer of Kitgum Municipality, told the new executive that regular financial reporting would be essential to restoring members’ confidence.
Opoka said the cooperative should not wait for its Annual General Meeting to disclose its financial position but should provide members with regular monthly and quarterly reports detailing income, expenditure and planned investments.
“Don’t only wait for the AGM and give a report,” Opoka said, urging the leadership to clearly account for the money collected, how it is spent and the projects the cooperative plans to undertake. He said cooperatives are an important government mechanism for improving household livelihoods but warned that poor financial management could undermine their purpose and erode members’ trust.
Opoka also advised the taxi operators to acquire alcohol detectors and screen drivers before they carry passengers, particularly on long-distance routes such as Kitgum-Kampala, as part of efforts to reduce crashes linked to drunk driving.
John Bosco Kidegacalo, the Assistant Town Clerk of Pandwong Division, where the taxi park is located, urged members to support the newly elected leaders and give them room to perform their responsibilities. He cautioned the executive against interfering in one another’s roles, saying failure to respect assigned responsibilities could fuel fresh disagreements and weaken the cooperative.
Kidegacalo also called for training in cooperative governance and group dynamics to equip the new leaders with the skills needed to manage disagreements and work effectively. “These groups have dynamics, and I advise you to always avoid issues that cause disunity so that the group grows to help you and those who will succeed you,” Kidegacalo said.
He noted that government programmes such as the Parish Development Model and Emyooga depend on organised groups to deliver services and urged the taxi cooperative to strengthen its internal structures and governance systems.
Odong, the re-elected chairperson, appealed to members to put aside the divisions that characterised the leadership transition and focus on rebuilding the cooperative.
“I request that we put aside all differences we had during the change of leadership. We are now one and working for the common good of the society,” Odong said. He pledged to work closely with the municipal commercial office to receive training in cooperative management and organise regular training for members to help them understand their rights and responsibilities.
Joseph Odokonyero was elected treasurer, while Amos Ochora Gaddafi became secretary. Other members were selected to serve on the vetting and supervisory committees. The loans committee will be constituted at a later date.
The group was established in 2014 with 31 members. It has since grown to 240 members, of whom 183 are fully paid-up. The new leadership now faces the task of rebuilding trust, improving financial disclosure and strengthening internal governance as it seeks to restore confidence among members and ensure that the cooperative’s growing membership benefits from its operations-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
