The head of the Uganda COVID-19 Fund has expressed remorse over the misunderstanding after they asked Ugandans to contribute shs10, 00 towards the fund.
Emmanuel Katongole in a statement says the appeal to contribute was aimed at Ugandans who are willing and not mandatory.
“On 21st April 2020, the COVID-19 Fund engaged selected business leaders in a webinar at the Ministry of Health. The Fund presented the fundraising strategy and proposed to them that they could help mobilise their employees to contribute UGX: 10,000/= each and that the businesses could consider a top up. The COVID-19 Fund stressed that this contribution was entirely voluntary and no single employee would be forced to contribute. Furthermore, the contribution is voluntary both to individuals and to companies and indeed we have seen several employees unsolicited, contributing to the Fund,” Katongole says in the statement.
He adds, “We sincerely apologize to Ugandans who may have misconstrued this appeal. This is not compulsory giving but a purely voluntary appeal made to the selected categories to support the health sector during and post pandemic.”
Last week, Ugandans on social media expressed anger after the fund issued the appeal, however, Katongole says it is not mandatory.
He explained, “Thereafter, on 12th May 2020, the Fund sent out a letter to selected Chief Executives spelling out the appeal. In the press release of Sunday 3rd May, the Chairman of the COVID-19 Fund, called upon several categories including Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, government employees, the private sector and those in the Diaspora to contribute to the cause. As a result, we have received a positive response from several of these categories and we thank them.”
