The Vicar General of Kampala Archdiocese, Charles Kasibante, has urged the cooperative leadership to prioritize transparency and honesty so as to eliminate corruption in their respective offices.

The Prayer Breakfast is one of the collections of activities lined up during cooperatives week, which commenced on Monday, July 15, 2024.

Msgr. Kasibante, who also doubles as the Board Chairperson of the Inter Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), asked the leaders in the cooperatives to exercise a high level of transparency when handling issues concerning their members.

Msgr. Kasibante made these remarks during the International Cooperatives Day Prayer Breakfast meeting led by the Inter Religious Council at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

“Cooperatives need transparency, honesty, and a high sense of justice for those involved, especially when dealing with public money. Leaders need to know that this money benefits all, and it does not have to be taken by a section of people,” he noted.

“We are suffering as a country from an epidemic of corruption that stems from selfishness,” he added.

The chairperson of the Kibinge Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society, Sowedi Sserwadda, emphasized the need for the government’s involvement in the transparency process and development of the cooperatives.

“Government support is crucial for the sustainability of cooperatives. We need policies that facilitate access to markets, improve infrastructure, and provide training for cooperative management,” he said.

He added, “Celebrating this day in Bukomansimbi will ensure the spirit of cooperatives, which continues to shape a better future for all cooperatives.

International Cooperatives Day will be crowned on July 20, 2024, at Misanvu Demonstration C/U Primary School in Kibinge sub-county, Bukomansimbi district, under the theme, Cooperatives Build A Better Future For All.