Moses Sentamu 
Pilgrim Africa is a non-government organisation which has long maintained a stellar reputation for its work in education, healthcare, and agriculture in several parts of Uganda. In the wake of political atmosphere, the organisation has been dragged into malicious propaganda, affecting its long-standing reputation and the good works of uplifting people’s lives.
As the race for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Vice Chairperson seat for Eastern Uganda heats up, the fallout is reaching unexpected places—including the nonprofit sector. Pilgrim Africa, a respected faith-based organisation, has found itself at the center of what many believe to be a politically motivated smear campaign.
A recent article on one of the online blogs accuses Pilgrim Africa of financial misconduct, claiming investigations are underway in both Uganda and the United States. It references a court case allegedly filed in Uganda’s High Court under the number MC-14-2025. However, the organisation has firmly denied these claims.
“To the best of our knowledge, there is no case or investigation,” the officials stated. “We continue to operate transparently and in good faith with all our partners, both locally and internationally,” they added.
The website making the allegations is reportedly linked to a blogger with close ties to a political contender in the Eastern Uganda NRM race. That candidate is now facing stiff competition from Calvin Echodu, who is publicly associated with Pilgrim Africa.
This connection has sparked speculation that the accusations are part of a broader effort to tarnish Echodu’s image by targeting his affiliates.
Political analysts warn that this could mark a troubling shift. “This isn’t just an attack on Pilgrim Africa or Calvin Echodu—it’s an attack on the integrity of the democratic process,” one observer noted. “Using false information as a political weapon sets a dangerous precedent and worse so, affects the NGO world,” Ritah Malende, another leader in Eastern Uganda observed.
This website’s independent investigation could not trace any credible evidence or official court documents that have been presented to back up the accusations. Reaching out to the organisation’s offices, operations continue undisturbed.
However, several beneficiaries from the noble programmes of Pilgrim Africa expressed concerns over non-responsible reporting from some “selfish” online blogs saying, with aid-cuts from countries like USA, the local media in African countries ought to appreciate the few NGOs that remain operational in uplifting the lives of local people.
Pilgrim Africa was founded in 2001 as an indigenous Christian response to the plight of more than 1.5 million refugees living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the war torn regions of Northern Uganda.
From its inception over two decades ago as a small organization providing simple medical and nutritional relief and psycho-social support to desperate refugees, Pilgrim Africa has grown to have international reach in public health and education.
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