UMOJA ASSOCIATION

INTRODUCTION

Unit of purpose has over years proven to be the most effective way of moving social affairs in our
society. Individuals coming together to champion their common interested has yielded tremendous
results over time.

In our current times, we are all facing common events and challenges and thus the need to pull
together as friend to help one another. Any one walking alone stands only to walk faster but on
far, walking as a group we can go far.

This vision of forming UMOJA association comes at a time when majority of Kenyans are working
on ways to strengthen their social networks, social protection and economic empowerment

UMOJA association then offers the best solution to its members and empowers them for a better
today and a future free of uncertainties.

UMOJA ASSOCIATION offers solution to its members:

1. Weddings and dowry payment
2. Hospital bills
3. Last expenses to our loved one (nuclear family and parents)

Road map to achieving the above

 We are targeting 20-30 families
 Each family to register with Ksh 5,000.00
 ksh 2,000.00 quarterly family remittances to UMOJA account (will buffer the account)
 At any occurrence of the above covered activity each family to contribute ksh 5,000.00
within 7-14 days of occurrence
 Remittance to the affected family will be within 24 hours after notifying the office (organizing
secretary and Chairperson).

Accountability
UMOJA Association will guided by the following principles in management of the members’
money:
 i. Financial Accountability
ii. Financial Transparency
iii. Financial Responsiveness
To ensure the above, all the financial expenses’ shall be audited and the audits reports shall be
available to all members.

Election of officials
Elections will be conducted in a free and fair manner. Only one member of a family shall be
eligible for election.

Members opinion
Respect and dignity of members will be our priority
Members opinion will be respected.

Yours sincerely

Dennis Ngao Mbithi

UMOJA association vision bearer

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 CONSTITUTION

This constitution is only a guide, members’ resolutions are supreme

CONSTITUTION OF:

1. Name: The name of the group shall be UMOJA ASSOCIATION

2. Aim: To improve and empower member’s social and economical well-being

3. Objectives:

The group will fulfil the objectives by:

* Promoting the well-being of the members regardless of age, ethnic origin, ability,
belief or political affiliation recognising the value of our many differences.

* Involving members in improving their social and economic well-being.

* To raise funds and receive contributions where appropriate to finance members

social and family events. (weddings, dowry payments, sickness and demise of
nuclear family member and parents.(And any other activity agreed upon by
members in an AGM or by resolution
.
* Organise meetings and events geared towards improving members’ social and
economic empowerment

* Work with similar groups and exchange information and advice with them.

4. Membership

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 (a) Membership of UMOJA ASSOCIATION shall be open to anyone who is interested in
helping the group to achieve its aim and objectives and is willing to abide by the
rules of the group.

(b) Every member shall have one vote at the Annual General Meetings (AGM).

(c) The Management Committee shall have the power to reject membership to an
applicant, where it is considered such membership would be detrimental to the aim
and objectives, purposes or activities of the group.

(d) Registration and termination of membership.

Any member of the UMOJA ASSOCIATION may withdraw from the Association by giving a written
notice of one hundred and eighty (180) days.
No member will be allowed to withdraw from the association before clearing any financial obligation
attached to him if any
-a member shall within thirty (30) days be refunded his initial subscription amount or any other amount
agreed by members less an administrative fee of twenty percent (20%)

 The Management Committee may, by a resolution passed at a meeting

thereof, terminate or suspend the membership of any member, if in its opinion
his/her conduct is prejudicial to the interests and objects of the association,
PROVIDED THAT the individual member or representative of the member
organisation (as the case may be) shall have the right to be heard by the
disciplinary Committee before the final decision is made. There shall be a
right of appeal to the General Committee and thereafter to an independent
arbitrator appointed by mutual agreement.

 No one shall benefit from the Association unless he/she has been a paid up member for 6
months.

5. Management/ OFFICE BEARERS

(a) UMOJA ASSOCIATION shall be administered by a Central Management Committee

of not less than three (3) people and not more than five(7) members elected at the
group’s Annual General Meeting, Committee Members must be at least 18 years old
and of sound mind .
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(b) The Office bearers of the Association, all of whom shall be fully paid up members
shall be; the Chairman, the Vice Chairman, the Secretary General and the
Treasurer.

(c) Subject to the conditions contained in section (d) and (e) of this Rule, all Office
bearers shall hold office for five years but shall be eligible for re-election.

(d) Subject to the conditions contained in section (d) and (e) of this Rule, there will be
no mid-term elections.

(e) Any Office bearer who ceases to be a member of the Association shall automatically
cease to be an Office bearer thereof.

(f) Office bearers, save for the Secretary General, may be removed from office in the
same way as is laid down for the expulsion of members in 3(d) and vacancies thus
created shall be filled by a person appointed by the Central Management Committee
until the next Annual Delegates Conference.

(g) Such removal as stated in Rule shall be reported to the next Delegates Conference
and the Delegates Conference shall have further full powers to decide on what
further action should be taken in the matter.

(h) The officers of the Management Committee shall be:

The Chairperson
The Vice Chairperson
The Organizing Secretary/ Secretary General
The Treasurer
Member
Member

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 (c) The Management Committee shall meet at least once in a quarter.

(d) At least four (4) Management Committee members must be present for the
Management Committee meeting to take place.

(e) Voting at Management Committee meetings shall be by show of hands on a majority

basis and or secret ballot as the committee may feel fit and appropriate at any time.
If there is a tied vote then the chairperson shall have a second vote.

(f) Power to set up sub-groups and working parties as deemed necessary who shall be
accountable to the committee.

6. DUTIES OF OFFICE BEARERS

a) Chairman: The Chairman shall, unless prevented by illness or other sufficient cause,
preside over all meetings and at all Delegates Conferences.

b) Vice Chairman: The Vice Chairman shall perform any duties of the Chairman in his/her
absence.

c) Secretary General: The Secretary General shall deal with all correspondences of the
Association. In case of urgent matters where the Management Committee cannot be
consulted, S/he shall consult the Chairman or if he is not available, the Vice Chairman. The
decision reached shall be subject to ratification or otherwise at the next Management
Committee meeting. S/he shall issue notices convening all meetings of the Management
Committee and all Delegates Conferences of the Association and shall be responsible for
keeping minutes of all such meetings and for the preservation of all records of proceedings
of the Association and of the Management Committee.

d) Treasurer: The Treasurer shall receive and shall also disburse, under the direction of the
Management Committee, all money belonging to the Association and shall issue money
paid by him. The Treasurer is responsible to the Management Committee and to members
that proper books of account of all money received and paid by the Association is recorded,
preserved and available for inspection. A receipt shall be issued for all money paid to the
Association.
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7. DUTIES OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

a. The Management Committee shall be responsible for the management of the Association.

b. The Management Committee shall have powers to appoint such sub-committees as it may
deem desirable to make reports to the Management Committee upon which such action
shall be taken as seen by the Management Committee to be desirable.

c. Management Committee shall have the power to frame by-laws and such other regulations
as are required for achieving the aims and objectives of the Association.

d. All monies disbursed on behalf of the Association shall be authorized by the Management
Committee

8. Finance

(a) Any money obtained by the group shall be used only for the group.

(b) Any bank accounts opened for the group shall be in the name of the group.

(c) Any cheque issued shall be signed by at least two of any three nominated signatures
(All the payments must be checked by the Treasurer and approved by the
Chairperson or his/her appointee).

(d) The Management Committee will ensure that the group stays within the budget.

9. Committee Meetings

(a) The committee shall meet at least four (4) times each year.

(b) The quorum for a meeting shall be four (4).

(c) The committee shall be accountable to the members at all times.

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 (d) All meetings must be minuted and available to any interested party.

(e) All committee members shall be given at least seven (14) days’ notice of a meeting
unless it is deemed an emergency meeting. The notice of any meeting shall be done
through the registered members email and any other communication channel
captured in the Associations register.

10. Annual General Meeting

(a) The members of UMOJA ASSOCIATION shall hold an Annual General Meeting
(AGM) at not more than 12 month intervals.

(b) Where possible members shall be notified personally, otherwise notice will be served at
least 14 days’ notice of the AGM through the email address in the Association member
registry or any other communication media agreed upon by members.

(c) The business of the AGM shall include:

* Receiving a report from the Chairperson of the group’s activities over the
year.

* Receiving a report and presentation of the last financial year’s accounts from
the Treasurer on the finances of the group.

* Electing a new Management Committee and considering any other matter as

may be appropriate at such a meeting.

(d) The quorum for Annual General Meeting shall be at least twelve (12) family
representatives of which no more than four (4) shall be committee members.

11. Alteration of the Constitution

(a) Proposals for amendments to this constitution or dissolution (see Clause 11) must
be delivered to the secretary in writing. The secretary in conjunction with all other
officers shall then decide on the date of a forum meeting to discuss such proposals,
giving at least four weeks (28 days) clear notice.

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 (b) Any changes to this constitution must be agreed by at least two thirds of those
members present and voting at any general meeting.

12. DISSOLUTION

a) UMOJA Association shall not be dissolved except by a resolution passed at a Delegates

Conference for members by the vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present. If the
quorum is obtained the proposal to dissolve the Association shall be submitted to a further
Delegates Conference which shall be held one, month later. Notice of this meeting shall be
given to all members of the Association at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.
The quorum for this second meeting shall be the members present.

b) Provided, however, that no dissolution shall be effective without prior permission in writing
from the Registrar obtained upon application to him/her made in writing and signed by the:
Chairman, Secretary General and Treasurer.

c) After the Registrar approves the dissolution of the Association no action shall be taken by
the Central Management Committee or any Office bearer of the Association in connection
with aims of the Association other than to get in and liquidate for cash all the assets of the
Association. Subject to the payment of all the debts of the Association if any, the balance
therefore shall be distributed in such other manner as may be resolved by the meeting at
which the resolution for dissolution is passed.

d) The group dissolution may be done at any time if agreed by two thirds of those members
present and voting at any general meeting. Any contribution in association accounts shall
be returned to individual members in respect to their contributions.

INSPECTION OF ACCOUNTS AND LIST OF MEMBERS

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The books of account and all documents relating thereto and list of members of the Association
shall be available for inspection at any time by any official or member of the Association, on giving
not less than seven (7) days’ notice in writing to the Secretary General of the Association.

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 13. Adoption of the Constitution

This constitution was adopted by the members present at the AGM held on:

………………………………… 2021

Signed:

...............................................................................................
(Chairperson)

............................................................................................... (Secretary)

............................................................................................... (Treasurer)

............................................................................................... (Member)

............................................................................................... (Member)

............................................................................................... (Member)

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Annex I

UMOJA ASSOCIATION

MEMBERSHIP WITHDRAWAL FORM

DATE:

The Secretary,
Dear Sir,

RE: APPLICATION FOR WITHDRAWAL AS A MEMBER

I……………………………………………...…………………….hereby request for your approval to

withdraw my membership from the Association with effect from (Date)………… ………………..

My cumulative monthly subscriptions as at (Month, Year) ……………….………....……. is

KES.……………..…………… while my outstanding loan is KES………….………………………………

Kindly refund the balance of my cumulative quarterly subscriptions less the requisite administrative
fees if any.

My details are as follows:-

FULL NAME: ____________________________________________________________
MEMBERSHIP/No.: _____________ ID/NO.: ___________________________________________
MOBILE NO.: ________________________________
________________________________

SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT: …………..……………… DATE: ……….....……..………………………

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

Gross Cumulative quarterly Subscriptions: KES ……………………
Less Administrative Fees: KES ………………………………
Net Cumulative Quarterly Subscriptions:
Less Outstanding Loan: KES ………………………………
Net Entitlement Due to the Member: KES ………………………………

MEMBERSHIP WITHDRAWAL ACCEPTED: ………………………... CHEQUE NO.: ……………

__________________ _____________________ ________________
CHAIRMAN SECRETARY GENERAL TREASURER

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