OPINION: From 660 to 83: Has UNAA Lost Its Way?

With four months left to this year's convention, the trajectory of the upcoming Uganda North American Association (UNAA )Denver Convention stands in stark contrast to the organization's own recent history — and the comparison raises serious questions about what has gone wrong.

In 2011, when Denver last hosted the convention, UNAA drew 660 registered attendees in what was also an election year. Colorado Ugandans registered in big numbers for the convention.That turnout did not happen by accident. Just a year earlier, the 2010 convention in Washington, D.C. attracted a record 1,300 participants — widely regarded as a high-water mark for unity, engagement, and organizational credibility within the Ugandan diaspora.

At that time, UNAA was seen as a genuine unifying force. Participation was robust, competition for leadership positions was open and competitive, and the organization projected a clear sense of collective purpose. Ugandans from across different states showed up — not merely in numbers, but with a shared sense of ownership and genuine trust in the institution.

The contrast with the present could not be sharper. With only 83 registrations reported nationally as of 15th April 2026, the Denver Convention for 2026 appears to be experiencing a dramatic collapse in community engagement. Nowhere is that collapse more visible than in Colorado itself — the very state hosting the convention this year. According to available data, only 8 Colorado Ugandans have registered so far, a figure that is as alarming as it is telling. Yes, these figures are alarming!

But the numbers alone do not capture the full picture. A closer look at who those 8 registrants from Colorado reveal an equally troubling dynamic. Of the eight, four are so-called "leaders" with UNAA and also run a controversial organization in Colorado but also ironically secured their current UNAA positions through a system widely criticized as ringfenced, manipulated and full of lobbying — one that offered no genuine open competition or less competition. Others were simply appointed to positions that were never publicly advertised or openly contested. Does Colorado have the most qualified individuals to take up positions at UNAA? Or is Colorado the only state with the most leadership-oriented individuals in the whole of North America? For many Colorado Ugandans, this is not coincidence. It is a pattern — and it speaks directly to why so many Colorado Ugandans have lost appetite for this convention altogether.

At the heart of Colorado's disillusionment is a specific and deeply felt grievance. UNAA's current leadership stands accused of actively favoring and supporting this same controversial group in Colorado — one that is directly opposed to an organization democratically elected by Ugandans in Colorado. For a national body that claims to represent the interests of the entire diaspora, the decision to elevate a controversial faction over a legitimate, community-endorsed organization has been received as both an insult and a provocation.

The question being asked openly among Colorado Ugandans is pointed and uncomfortable: why is UNAA seemingly determined to sow disunity in Colorado, while simultaneously reaching out to Colorado's community for convention support and dialogue? The contradiction has not gone unnoticed — and for many, it has not gone unanswered. Several community members have gone further, labeling the ongoing outreach and town hall engagements as little more than a sham — a performative gesture of inclusion that masks a predetermined agenda.

The broader organizational picture is no more encouraging. Multiple sources describe an institution increasingly defined by political infighting, exclusionary practices, and backroom decision-making. Rather than fostering unity, UNAA now stands accused of amplifying factionalism (like in Colorado) — rewarding loyalty over legitimacy and sidelining voices that challenge the current power structure.

What was once a platform for collective diaspora progress is now described by insiders as a battleground of competing interests, where alliances are built not on fair representation or community mandate, but on convenience and control.

Observers are sounding a clear alarm. They warn that unless these structural failures are confronted honestly and urgently, the consequences will extend well beyond a poorly attended convention. UNAA's credibility — built over nearly four decades — risks suffering damage that no single convention, outreach effort, or town hall can repair.

As Denver Convention approaches, one defining question looms larger than ever: Can UNAA reclaim the spirit of unity and collective purpose that once made it the cornerstone of the Ugandan diaspora in North America — or is it standing at the edge of an institutional decline of its own making?

The answer, observers suggest, lies not in town halls or public statements and denials on allegations levelled against them, but in whether current leadership has the self-awareness to acknowledge the crisis and the integrity to address it — before the Colorado community's patience runs out entirely.

Note: The Writer is a Ugandan based in Denver, Colorado and has been a long time member and supporter of the Uganda North American Association (UNAA) for the last 20 years.