MAZINGIRA WELFARE AND SPORTS ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
1.
(A) NAME:
The name of the Association shall be called "MAZINGIRA WELFARE AND
SPORTS ASSOCIATION"
(B) INTERPRETATION:
(i)"
"Association" means Mazingira Welfare and Sports Association.
(ii)
"Committee" means Management Committee.
(iii)
"Chairman" means Chairperson
(iv)
"Member" means member of Mazingira Welfare and Sports
Association, includes members of the Management Committee.
(v)
2.
"General Meeting" means Annual or Special General Meeting.
OBJECTIVES:
The Association is a Staff and Welfare Organization and has no political
aims or affiliation.
The objectives of the Association are: (a).
To foster and encourage Welfare and Sporting activities among its
members.
(b).
To solicit for assistance from the employer or any other benefactor
in cash or in kind for the welfare of the members of the
Association.
(c)
To establish and maintain funds by means of voluntary
contributions and subscriptions.
(d).
To be affiliated to the National Sporting Organization and
participate in tournament as arranged by them.
(e).
To assist members of the Association with loans and grants subject
to availability of funds.
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(f).
To acquire either by purchase, lease or otherwise any property
movable or immovable or other assets and sell, let, mortgage,
charge or otherwise deal with or dispose off, for interest of
members.
3.
PATRON:
The Principal Secretary for the State Department of Environment and
Natural Resources shall, by virtue of his/her official position be the Patron
of the Association.
4.
MEMBERSHIP:
(a)
Any regular employee of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural
Resources and regular employee of the Association over the age of
eighteen (18) years shall be eligible for membership of the Association
and shall, subject to the approval of the committee, become a member on
payment of membership fee of Kshs. 100/= which may be varied by
Annual General Meeting.
(b)
Every member shall pay a monthly subscription of Kshs, 250/= not later
than the 15th day of each month subject to variation by Annual General
Meeting.
(c)
Any member desiring to resign from the Association shall submit his/her
resignation to the Secretary. This shall take effect from the date of the
committee's approval, provided he/she has no outstanding loan.
(d)
Any member may be suspended or expelled from the Association by the
Management Committee on the grounds that his/her conduct has adversely
affected the reputation or dignity of the Association or that, he/she has
contravened any of the provisions of the Constitution and the By-laws. A
member whose suspension/expulsion is being discussed shall have the right
to address the meeting at which his/her suspension/expulsion is to be
considered. The Management Committee shall resolve by a two-third
majority of members present that such a member should be suspended/
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expelled. The member shall however have the right to appeal against the
suspension/expulsion to the General Meeting and be given a hearing. The
General Meeting shall have powers to reinstate the member with two- thirds
majority of members present at the meeting.
(e)
Any member who resigns from membership shall not be entitled to
refund of his/her subscription or any part thereof or any monies contributed
by him/her at any time. While any member who dies, retires or is dismissed
shall be entitled to refund of 50% of his/her subscription provided he/she
have been a member for over five (5) years and has no outstanding loan.
(f)
Membership in the Association shall cease with effect from the date a
member dies, retires, resigns or is expelled from the Association.
(g)
Any member who falls into arrears with his/her monthly subscription for
more than six months shall automatically cease to be a member of the
Association and his/her name shall be struck off from the Register of
Members. The committee may, however, at its discretion reinstate such a
member on payment of the total amount of the subscription outstanding.
5.
OFFICE BEARERS:
(a).
The office bearers of the Association shall be: -
Chairman;
-
Vice -Chairman;
-
Secretary;
-
Assistant Secretary;
-
Treasurer;
-
Assistant Treasurer;
-
Organizing Secretary;
(i). The Chairman, the Secretary and the Treasurer shall be heads of
Administration, Personnel and Accounts Divisions respectively
provided that they are bona fide members of the Association and shall
be in the office by virtue of their positions in the Ministry. Incase after
the General election the Chairman to be is not a member of the
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Association, the Management Committee shall elect the chairman
from one of the nominated representatives from the respective
departments. If the Chairman's seat falls vacant before the General
election, the Vice-chairman will take the Chair automatically.
(ii).
The Vice- Chairman, Assistant Secretary and Assistant
Treasurer respectively shall be elected by the Management
Committee.
(b).
All elected officials shall hold office from the date of the election until the
succeeding Annual or Special General Meeting subject to conditions
contained in sub-paragraphs 4(c) and 4(d) of this rule but shall be eligible
for re-election.
(c).
Any elected office bearer who ceases to be a member in the same way as
is laid down for expulsion of members in rule 4(d) and vacancy thus
created shall be filled by persons elected by the committee.
6. DUTIES OF OFFICE BEARERS
(a).
Chairman:
The chairman shall, unless prevented by illness or other sufficient
cause, preside over all meetings of the committee and all General
Meetings.
(b).
Vice-Chairman:
The Vice-Chairman shall perform any duties of the chairman in his
absence and such duties assigned to him/her by chairman or the
committee.
(c).
Secretary:
The Secretary shall deal with all the correspondence of the
Association under the general supervision of the committee. In
cases of urgent matters where the committee cannot be consulted,
he/she shall consult the Chairman or if he/she is not available, the
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Vice-chairman. The decision reached shall be subject to
ratification or otherwise at the next committee's meeting. He shall
issue notices convening all meetings of the committee and all
General Meetings of the Association and shall be responsible for
keeping minutes of such meetings and for the preservation of all
records of the proceedings of the Association and of the
committee.
(d).
Assistant Secretary:
In the absence of the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary shall
perform all the duties of the Secretary and such other duties
assigned to him/her by the Secretary or by the committee.
(e).
Treasurer:
The Treasurer shall receive and shall also disburse under the
directions of the committee, all the monies belonging to the
Association and shall issue receipts for all monies received by
him/her and preserve vouchers for all monies paid by him/her. The
Treasurer is responsible to the committee and to the members that
proper books of accounts of all monies received and paid by the
Association are written up, preserved and available for inspection.
(f).
Assistant Treasurer:
The Assistant Treasurer shall perform such duties as may be
assigned to him by the Treasurer or by the committee and in
absence of the Treasurer shall perform the duties of the Treasurer.
(g).
The Organizing Secretary with consultation with the Management
Committee, shall coordinate all sports activities and other duties as
may be assigned to him/her from time to time by Management
Committee or sub-committee.
7. THE COMMITTEE:
(a).
Management Committee shall consist of the Chairman, Secretary,
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Treasurer
nominated
Departmental
representatives
and
elected
representatives of the Departments.
(b).
The quorum for the meeting shall not be less than 1/2 of the committee
members.
(c)
The committee shall meet at least once in a month.
(d).
Any casual vacancies for members of the committee caused by death,
resignation, retirement or as shown in the Rule 4 (c &d) shall be filled by
the respective departments.
8. DUTIES OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE:
(a).
The committee shall be responsible for the management of the Association
and for that purpose may give directions to the office bearers as to the
manner in which, within the law, they shall perform their duties.
(b).
The committee shall have powers to appoint sub-committees as it may
deem desirable to make reports to the committee upon which such action
shall be taken as seems to the committee desirable.
(c).
All monies disbursed on behalf of the Association shall be authorized by
the committee except as specified in rule 13(d)
9. GENERAL MEETINGS:
There shall be two categories of General Meetings: - Annual General Meeting
and Special General Meeting.
(A).
Annual General Meeting
(i).
The Annual General Meeting shall be held by 30th June in each
year but not later than 31st August of the following year. Notice in
writing of such Annual General Meeting, accompanied by the
annual statement of accounts (see rule 12(b)) and the Agenda for
the meeting shall be sent to all members not less than 21 days
before the date of the meeting and, where practicable, by Press
advertisement not less than 14 days before the date of the meeting.
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(ii).
The Agenda for any Annual General Meeting shall consist of the following: (a).
Adoption of the Agenda;
(b).
Confirmation of the minutes of the previous Annual General
Meeting:
(c).
Matters Arising;
(d).
Consideration of the accounts and approval of the budget;
(e).
Election of the Departmental representatives and Trustees where
necessary in accordance with rule 10(c);
(f).
Appointment of Auditor(s) in accordance with rule 12(a);
(g).
Such other matters as the committee may decide or as to which
a notice shall have been given in writing by a member or
members to the Secretary at least by 1st November;
(h).
(iii).
Any other Business with the approval of the chairman.
Quorum for the Annual General Meetings shall not be less than 80 of the
registered members of the Association.
(B).
Special General Meeting: (i)
May be called for any specific purpose by the Management Committee.
Notice of such meeting shall be sent to all members not less than 14 days
before the date thereof and where practicable by Press advertisement less
than 7 days before the date of such meeting. The notice for such meeting
shall be decided by a quorum as shown in rule 7 (b) and no matters shall
be discussed other than that stated in the requisition.
(ii).
May also be requisitioned for a specific purpose by order in writing to the
Secretary by not less than 50% of the registered members. The purpose of
the meeting in the requisition should include all the items to be discussed
and no other matters shall be discussed other than those stated. The
Secretary shall give notice to all members of the Association for the
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meeting to be held within 21 days from the date of the receipt of the
requisition.
10.
PROCEDURE AT THE MEETINGS:
(a).
At all meetings of the Association, the Chairman, or in his absence, the
Vice-Chairman or in the absence of both, a member nominated by the
meeting shall take the Chair.
(b).
The Chairman may at his/her discretion limit the number of persons
permitted to speak in favour of or against any motion.
(c).
Resolutions shall be decided by simple voting by a show of hands or
secret ballot. In case of equal votes, the Chairman shall have a second or
casting vote.
11.
TRUSTEES:
(a).
All land, buildings and other immovable property and all investments and
securities which shall be acquired by the Association shall be vested in the
names of not less than three (3) trustees who shall be members of the
Association and shall be appointed at an Annual General Meeting for a
period of three (3) years. On retirement, such trustees shall be eligible for
re-election. A General Meeting shall have powers to remove any of the
trustees and all vacancies occurring by removal of, resignation or death
shall be filled at the same or next General Meeting.
(b).
The trustees shall pay all income received from property vested in the
trustees to the Treasurer. Any expenditure to be incurred in respect of such
property, which in the opinion of the trustees is necessary or desirable,
shall be reported by the trustees to the Management Committee, which
shall authorize the expenditure of such monies, it thinks fit.
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AUDITORS:
(a).
Auditor (s) shall be appointed for the following year by the Annual
General Meeting. All the Association's accounts records and documents
shall be opened for inspection by the auditor(s) at any time.
(b).
The Treasurer shall produce an account of his receipts and payments and
statements of assets and liabilities made up to a date which will not be less
than six (6) weeks and not more than three (3) months before the date of
the Annual General Meeting. The Auditor shall examine such annual
accounts and statements and produce statements of accounts, which shall
be presented at the Annual General Meeting.
(c).
No Auditor shall be an office bearer, committee member or regular
employee of the Association.
13.
FUNDS:
a) The funds of the Association may only be used for the following purposes:
i.
Assistance in distress;
ii.
Loans;
iii.
Sports
iv.
Social Welfare and Development;
v.
Remuneration for the Association employees and allowances;
vi.
Running expenses for the Association;
b) All monies and funds shall be received by and paid to the Treasurer and shall be
deposited by him in the name of the Association in any bank or banks approved
by the committee.
c) No payments shall be made out of the bank account without a resolution of the
committee authorizing such payment and all cheques on such bank account shall
be signed by the Treasurer or the Assistant Treasurer and two other office bearers
of the Association who shall be appointed by the committee.
d) A sum not exceeding Kshs. 6000/= may be kept by the Treasurer for petty
disbursements of which proper account shall be kept.
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e) The committee shall have powers to suspend/Expel any office bearer who it has
reasonable cause to believe is not accounting for any funds or property of the
Association and shall have powers to appoint another person in his/her place. The
committee shall hve full powers to decide what further action to be taken in the
matter.
f) The financial year of the Association shall be from 1st January to December.
14.
BRANCHES:
Branches of the Association may be formed with the approval of the committee
and they shall adopt the same constitution as that of the Association with the
following exceptions:
a) The aims and objectives will not include the formation of branches;
b) Amendments to the constitution can only be made by the Annual or
Special General Meeting in accordance with the provisions of Rule 14 &
15;
c) The branches will not be dissolved without consultation with the
Management Committee.
15.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION:
Amendments to the constitution of the Association must be approved by at least a
two-thirds majority of the members present at a General meeting of the
Association. They cannot, however, be implemented without the prior consent in
writing of the Registrar of Societies obtained upon application to him made in
writing and signed by three (3) of the office bearers.
16.
DISSOLLUSION:
a) The Association shall not be dissolved except by resolution passed at an
Annual General Meeting of members by a vote of two-thirds of members
present. The quorum at the meeting shall be as shown in rule 9(A (iii)). If
no quorum is obtained, the proposal to dissolve the Association shall be
submitted to a further General Meeting, which shall be held one month
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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 of
this Special General Meeting shall be at least 50 members present. If no
quorum is attained, another Special General Meeting shall be called giving
a notice of 14 days to all members. The quorum shall be at least 50
members present. If the quorum is not obtained, the dissolution of the
Association shall be halted until further notice.
b) Provided, however, that no dissolution shall be effected without prior
permission in writing and signed by three (3) of the office bearers.
c) When the dissolution of the Association has been approved by the
Registrar of Societies, no further action shall be taken by the committee or
any office bearer of the Association in connection with aims of the
Association other than the Trustees and the Management Committee to get
in and liquidate for cash all assets of the Association, subject to payment
of tangible debts of the Association, the balance thereof shall be
distributed in such manner as may be resolved by the meeting at which the
resolution for dissolution is passed.
17.
INSPECTION OF ACCOUNTS AND LIST OF MEMBERS;
The books of accounts and all documents relating thereto and a list of
members of the Association shall be available for inspection at the
registered office of the Association by any office bearer or member of the
Association on giving not less than seven (7) days notice in writing to the
Association.
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