CONSTRUCTION STOPPED BEFORE IT REALLY STARTED

Düsseldorf, March 2025

Corruption around the IMLS music school in Uganda

The Werner Erkes Foundation (WES) is committed to the principles of honesty, transparency and trust. Regrettably, these principles were significantly violated during the history of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) IMLS and during the transition of this organisation to the Werner Erkes Foundation East Africa (WEF) last year. In its function as the main sponsor of WEF and the NGO IMLS, WES feels obliged to disclose the facts that have been uncovered to sponsors, partners and friends. With this publication, we also want to set an example against one of the biggest obstacles to successful development work in Africa: corruption. Last but not least, we want to clearly distance ourselves from these events and protect the reputation of the Werner Erkes Foundation.

To avoid misunderstandings, we would like to make it clear in advance that the WES is currently undergoing a complex process of clarification. The facts set out below reflect the current state of knowledge of WES, which is considered proven but has not yet been confirmed in court.

The investigations focus on the activities of the director of the WEF, Dr Joseph Wasswa. Despite the WES's claim to comprehensive information regarding the WEF and the IMLS music school, Dr Wasswa refuses to release this information. A joint clarification of the allegations in question has been completely rejected to this day.

The NGO IMLS, which allegedly runs the IMLS International School of Music Languages & Polytechnic Studies in Masaka, Uganda, was renamed the Werner Erkes Foundation East Africa in the summer of 2024 and the board was reappointed with WES board members and Dr Joseph Wasswa. The aim of the new appointment was to give WES in Germany, as the largest donor, sufficient control over the continued construction and operation of the IMLS music school.

However, the lengthy process of obtaining and examining relevant documents revealed a worrying structure: in 2014, Dr Wasswa and his partner, Sophia Schaaf, founded the FMK Förderverein für Musik und Kultur Uganda e. V. Ms Schaaf is the first chairperson of the FMK, while Dr Wasswa served as the second chairperson until the summer of 2024. The income generated by the FMK and donations were intended to finance educational and cultural projects in Dr Wasswa's hometown of Masaka (Uganda). Donations were transferred to the account of the newly founded NGO IMLS (Uganda), of which Dr Wasswa is a long-time mentor, for the purchase of the land, the construction of the ground floor of the music school and its operation.

However, the results of our extensive research so far point to a clear picture of corruption:

Tax-privileged donations from citizens, companies and organisations, particularly from the Regensburg region, were misappropriated and transferred via the non-profit NGO IMLS to a private company (IMLS Limited by Shares), whose owners are Dr Wasswa and his six-year-old daughter, while Ms Schaaf was registered as Secretary. These funds were used to build and operate the music school on private land owned by Dr Wasswa. In Uganda, too, the structures on a plot of land belong to the landowner.

Despite the inexplicable fivefold increase in the originally estimated construction costs of 1 million euros, the Werner Erkes Foundation (WES) and the Werner Erkes Foundation East Africa (WEF) decided to start the further construction of the music school in August 2024 on the basis of amended plans, new structural calculations and cost calculations, unaware of the true ownership structure. It should be noted that several million euros in donations would have been channelled into a private project if the true structures had not been revealed. It was only at our insistence that the actual ownership structure was revealed to us in October 2024.

As supposed proof of his honourable and correct activities, Dr Joseph Wasswa presented us with a memorandum of understanding allegedly written in 2017 in addition to the title deed of the property, which identifies him as the owner. This document states that Dr Wasswa is making the property available to the NGO IMLS rent-free and would transfer it to the NGO at any time for a fee. However, after in-depth investigations, it emerged that this document was forged.

Interestingly, a passage was added to the articles of association of the NGO IMLS in 2018, which stipulates that in the event of the organisation being dissolved, all assets are not transferred to another non-profit organisation, for example, but to the owner of the land. It should be noted that Dr Wasswa himself is the owner of the property in question.

Furthermore, Dr Wasswa defrauded the Werner Erkes Foundation by applying to the NGO IMLS/WEF in July 2024 to take over the redemption of his private loan to the NGO IMLS for the purpose of purchasing the land. In view of the changed ‘ownership situation’, the foundation generously approved the application and transferred an amount of €34,000 to the Werner Erkes Foundation East Africa in August to redeem the private loan. In this context, Dr Wasswa was permitted to transfer the repayment amount to his private account. However, it turned out that such a loan never existed, as the land - as we now know - was never owned by the NGO. Although he has confirmed this to be true, the fraudulent amount has not yet been reimbursed despite the announcement.

The considerable effort required to clarify these matters is now forcing us to suspend the construction and further development of the school for the time being. However, we are aware of our responsibility for the education of our pupils and are doing everything we can to keep the school running in its current form. The material and non-material damage cannot yet be fully assessed, as we have been deprived of essential information since mid-January. We are already assuming that the damage to WES alone will amount to several hundred thousand euros. The damage to WEF and other donors is likely to be many times higher.

Further suspected cases are currently being thoroughly investigated. Finally, we would like to point out that our criminal law firm will shortly be filing criminal charges against Dr Joseph Wasswa with the Regensburg public prosecutor's office.

FURTHER CONSTRUCTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOR MUSIC, LANGUAGES AND POLYTECHNIC STUDIES (IMLS)

IMLS was initially launched in 2016 as a combination of music school, cultural, IT and language center. As the local sponsor, the Ugandan organization IMLS has set itself the task of providing support, structure and community to needy and talented people through music and cultural and language workshops.

Since 2021, it has also been possible to learn apprenticeships at the IMLS. In order to create realistic life prospects for the many young people in this respect, the Werner Erkes Foundation will take over this project and build a training center above the recently completed "music floor" construction phase in addition to the existing music, language and IT offerings. This will include training in tailoring, journalism, print media, carpentry/instrument making and repair, recording studio, hairdressing or fashion design, bricklaying, electricity, IT, plumbing, welding, car mechanics, agriculture, business administration with project management, education, cooking, catering/hotel management, film and photography.

In particular, a sewing workshop, a carpentry workshop with an integrated instrument-making workshop, a recording studio, a meeting room, choir and orchestra rehearsal rooms and a band room are planned for the upper basement (the building will be constructed on a slope). Large seminar rooms with movable walls, a library, a museum, a piano practice studio, a health advice center and a job placement office are also planned for the first floor. In addition to offices and training rooms, two further floors will round off the center with a large multifunctional concert and theater hall under the roof.

Masaka, Uganda

TEACHING KITCHEN FOR THE IMLS

In the immediate vicinity of the IMLS music school, WEF East Africa will construct a separate building with a professional kitchen, which will fulfill two functions. Firstly, the kitchen will train specialist staff for cooking and service and secondly, hundreds of meals will be prepared here in future for the pupils and staff of the IMLS.

The spacious dining room will also be used as a seminar room.

WEF East Africa on Ugandan TV

Joseph Wasswa (WEF) and Sophia Schaaf from the partner association FMK in Regensburg present WEF East Africa on Ugandan TV.

3D animation of the design of the new IMLS building in Masaka

The planning phase for the further construction of the IMLS school has been completed. The 3D animation illustrates the dimensions of the music school.

January 2025 - Dr. Joseph Wasswa is no longer Managing Director

Dr. Joseph Wasswa has been relieved of his duties and responsibilities as Managing Director of the Werner Erkes Foundation East Africa since 14 January 2025.

If you have any questions about current projects, please contact the management of the Werner Erkes Foundation, Germany.

KINDERGARTEN IN NKAMBA, RUANDA

After just a few months, the construction of the kindergarten in Nkamba next to the elementary school was completed. All the rooms have been furnished so that the little ones can enjoy a playful education and a daily hot meal from the summer.
The construction of an administration building including a room for the needs of young girls was also built on the site by WEF East Africa.

The partner NGO NOBE was officially recognized on 08.09.2022. This non-governmental organization has the following main objectives:
To promote cooperation, partnership and assistance between private individuals or groups in Germany and Rwanda in particular and the rest of the world in general, in the field of education and in the socio-economic field.

Completion spring 2023

The WES Executive Board during the visit to Rwanda in October 2022

HORIZON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Kasese, Uganda

Start of construction January 2023

The Nyamwamba and Kirembe divisions in the Kasese district in western Uganda are an area of poverty. The majority of the inhabitants live from agriculture, and many families have to get by on less than €1 a day. In rural areas of Uganda, most communities have no schools, and the few government schools that do exist are very far away, in poor condition and perform very poorly in the national exams, forcing children to walk more than 10 km to the nearest school, which charges high fees that most families cannot afford. As a result, a large proportion of children do not even receive a primary education, and of those who do start, many drop out due to lack of money and the long walk to the nearest school. The old or temporary Horizon Primary School in Kasese by REP in 2013 was seen as a relief by many families and orphans, but the school is still in very poor condition, has few amenities and offers no education beyond primary schooling.
For this reason, the construction of a new school complex had long been planned and was essential.

Completion of the first building

October 2024

To change this situation, WES and REP (Reach the Poor) are building a school of excellence that will enable children to progress from kindergarten (Early Childhood Education) through primary school to the end of their education. The school will not only meet the educational needs of the children, but also provide literacy classes, ICT training and lectures on practical life skills to improve the students' skills so that they can keep up with their peers in other developed cities in the country that already have better school facilities, thus reducing the economic gap.

REACH THE POOR: The school follows the guidelines of the National Curriculum Development Center and the teaching standards of the Ministry of Education and Sports. We focus on nurturing the personality of the children by ensuring the holistic development and growth of each child. Our teachers are trained to recognize and nurture the strengths and talents of the students. They strive to recognize the children's individual weaknesses and offer them support so that they can find their own way of learning and develop into confident and responsible individuals.

REACH THE POOR

Reach The Poor (REP) is providing better quality education to vulnerable children who have lost both of their parents due to HVI/AIDS. We are currently supporting over 200 orphans and street children through Horizon Primary School. We are working to help more of vulnerable children to thrive, survive, gain practical skills, create future prospects; and become changing agents for sustainable transformation in their own societies. We believe that all children despite their background should have access to better quality education and life skills as one of their fundamental rights they are entitled to, and be able to compete and succeed in life.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

Youth Organisation For Building African Communities

In 2016, African youth refugees set the foundation for YOBAC, as they gathered in Uganda. Originally from Congo
(DRC), Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan, they set on a mission to transform African refugee communities.
With a team of volunteers and international Board Members, we support children, orphans, youth and women,
who survived war, conflicts, suffering, violence, and other problems. We provide guidance, education, and trainings
to solve some of their biggest problems resulting from their traumatic war experiences and separataion from their
families. We want to tackle the causes of poverty to provide a better future.
Today, Youth Organization For Building African Communities (YOBAC) is a volunteer-based, non-profit youth
organization in the Kyangwali refugee settlement, Hoima district, Uganda.

The aims of YOBAC are

To promote the education and empowerment of African youth.
To promote good community and health.
To sensitise migrants, orphans and others on self-reliance.
Equip the youth with leadership skills.
Promote peace, unity and understanding.
To accelerate sustainable social and economic development in Africa.
To mobilise Africans living abroad and involve them in the development of their continent.
To promote knowledge and skills for African youth.

ALBERT DJUMA MUTABAZI

Founder, External Rrlations and Executive Director

Unfortunately, larger commitments by WEF East Africa are currently not possible.

The YOBAC organisation's centre is located in a government area of Uganda designated for refugees in the immediate vicinity of Lake Albert and the Congolese border (DRC). In addition to financial support, we would like to do more for the young people in the refugee camp. However, investments in educational facilities on state-owned territory in Uganda must be carefully considered given the ongoing political unrest on the other side of the border in Congo and the constant influx of new refugees.

There are already plans for the construction of complex and modern educational facilities, but their realisation is currently not possible. We have great respect for the tireless efforts of Albert and his team and will help wherever we can.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Last year, the WEF financed the protective fence around the school grounds and contributed to the extension of the school buildings and the construction of latrines

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