Workers of the J414 Foundation, a community-based organization renowned for rehabilitating boreholes and organizing village SACCOs across Uganda, have called upon President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to urgently intervene in their plight.
The development follows a series of events in which the police in Mbale City allegedly sided with a foreign donor, leaving the workers feeling betrayed and oppressed.
The conflict began last month when the donor, a one JD Smith, reportedly instructed the foundation’s manager to start collecting UGX 4,500 per household utilizing the rehabilitated boreholes.
The foundation, which has constructed numerous boreholes and currently supports 104 SACCOs with over 10,800 members, was taken aback by the sudden shift in operations.
According to the workers, JD Smith revealed that he had sold the foundation’s operations to another entity based in Kampala and demanded that the SACCOs be dissolved and all assets handed over to the new team.
Despite having valid employment contracts running until 2026, the workers found themselves targeted when they resisted the donor’s demands. They allege that a one Oumo Emmanuel, claiming to act on behalf of Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema, used force and intimidation to coerce them into compliance.
Several workers, including the manager, were detained under dubious circumstances, with police officers reportedly acting on instructions from the donor.
In a shocking turn of events, police conducted a search of the foundation’s offices without a warrant and handed over keys and critical documents to the donor’s team.
Workers claim that a senior officer, identified as Malinga from the CI department, demanded UGX 1.5 million for police deployment but later registered the case in favor of the donor. The manager, who sought to file a complaint, was allegedly turned away, leaving the workers feeling helpless.
The foundation’s employees, numbering over 25, now face an uncertain future. They accuse certain police officers of prioritizing the donor’s wealth over justice and fairness, forcing them to accept the donor’s demands against their will.
“These poor Ugandans are being oppressed because the donor is rich,” lamented one of the workers. “We need the President to intervene and ensure justice is served. We have worked tirelessly to support rural communities, and now we are being treated as criminals.”
The workers are appealing to President Museveni, who has championed the cause of wealth creation and grassroots empowerment, to address their grievances and hold the corrupt officers accountable.
They are also calling on relevant authorities, including the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, to investigate the actions of the donor and the implicated police officers.
The case underscores the growing concern over the exploitation of local organizations by powerful individuals and the need for robust mechanisms to protect Ugandan workers from such injustices.
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