| Ugandans Conned in Trade Deal By David Weddi in Kampala and Lloyd Grove in Washington D.C. TWENTY-FIVE Ugandan arts and crafts dealers are stranded in Washington D.C., after being conned into paying at least $400 (UgShs 7.2m) each, to attend an 'AGOA (African Growth and Opportunities Act)' exhibition. Some of the traders spend their nights in hotel lobbies or out on the grass, for lack of accomodation, many have gone for days without food. The US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is investigating allegations that a Kenyan, identified as Dr. Peter N. Kariuki, collected money from the traders - mostly women - telling them they would sell their wares at a 10-day exhibition at the Washington Convention Center. FBI agent Ricky Capers is searching for Kariuki, who claims to be "chairman of the African Growth and Opportunity Act Association in Nairobi". Kariuki was reportedly recommended by the Ugandan government to handle the traders, and promised them accomodation and 16 booths at the exhibition. The traders, however, found that he had reserved only two booths and hadn't even paid for them. Worse still, the event lasted only a single weekend. The Ugandans arrived at Dulles International Airport on April 26, and have, since their fiasco, been sleeping in the lobby of the Howard Johnson Inn, out on the grass, on the floors of church members' homes and in a Catholic Charities facility offered by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the Archbishop of Washington. Former D.C. official, Walter Fauntroy, is helping the stranded group find food, housing and a place to move their goods. Community activist Saymendy Lloyd said a dozen Ugandans have lived with her for the past two weeks, sharing her three bedroom house with her, her three children and her sister. "When we picked them up, they hadn't eaten in a day and half," Lloyd said. "We prepare meals for them, like rice and gravy, every day. My bills have come to $1000 this month. Another "Good Samaritan" the Ugandans have found is Parenting Coalition President Belinda Rollins, who is sponsoring a bazaar this weekend for the traders to market their crafts - items such as mats and baskets, wooden chairs and bark hats. "Tell people to come and buy our products so we can get the money to go home as soon as possible," said Jessica Dheyongera, a mother of eight from Jinja. Kariuki's charges included a $400 (UgShs720,000) administrative fee," an $850 (UgShs1.5m) "exhibition fee" and $490 (UgShs900,000) for a shared hotel room for 14 days. Kariuki may have absconded with as much as $400,000 from 99 Ugandan who planned to make the trip. Most of them, however failed to travel after Kariuki failed to secure their visas - for which Kariuki charged $45 (UgShs80,0000) a piece. The traders said most of them had borrowed the money. The women stated fears that their husbands would throw them out if they returned home peniless, and in debt. Dheyongera even feared prison. By Friday, Ugandan Ambassador Edith Ssempala had not checked on the traders. Police in Uganda, on Friday, questioned Dr. Kariuki's suspected link, one Leonard Ssozi, Chairman of the African Arts/Crafts and Gift Traders Association. Ssozi, was arrested on Thursday evening at his home in Kiteezi, near Kampala and was taken to the Ministry of Trade to face a group of angry association members. ENDS >>>>>>>>>>>>>Read Follow Up Story |
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