Conflicts have emerged in the Iteso Cultural Union- ICU over the Teso Education Fund- TEF. TEF is an initiative by
the leadership of to support the education of vulnerable
children in the Teso sub-region.
The project aimed to provide scholarships for vocational education
to students in the 14 districts of Teso including Teso Districts in Kenya. At
least 100 children were expected to benefit from the scholarship every year in
the first four years of its implementation, starting next year.
However as the project starts taking shape, disagreements have
taken centre stage in its implementation.
On August 19th, the Iteso in the diaspora dissolved Iteso Cultural
Union UK and transformed the TEF project into a charity organization. The decision was taken because the ICU Teso
and ICU UK chapter failed to agree on a common strategic direction for the
project.
Dr Patrick Igulot, the Executive Director of ICU UK chapter says
the disagreement culminated in the Emorimor Papa Iteso, Augustine Lemukol
Osuban recalling the appointment of Solomon Emong and Michael Okwalinga as
representatives of ICU UK chapter.
He explains in the memo that was shared recently, the leadership
of ICU UK decided to transfer the assets and liabilities, governance and
management structures and officials of ICU UK to TEF UK.
He, however, emphasized that there was no leadership or management vacuum in
TEF, following the appointment of eight members to the Board of Trustees and
six members in the management team.
“This change has given us the freedom to explore the enormous
opportunities available to give back to our people and motherland, Teso and
together with TEF Uganda, other volunteers in Teso-Kenya and supporters and
well-wishers around the world, we are confident we will succeed”, the memo
reads in part.
Dr Igulot also noted that TEF has so far realized close to 40
million shillings which are sufficient to sponsor 20 students next year.
However, Sande Paul Emolot, the Chairman of Iteso Cultural Union
Council says the decision taken by ICU UK is regrettable. He explains that
there was an information gap between the ICU UK and Emorimor that prompted the
Emorimor to recall the appointments of some board members.
