Article I - Name of Association

Sec. 1: The name of the association shall be KENYA ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL OHIO, hereinafter referred to as The Association.

Article II - Mission Statement

Sec. 1: The mission of The Association is to promote unity among our members and to provide a forum for social interactions, exchange of ideas and to cater for the welfare of the members. The association is also committed to acting as a primary advocate for the integration of Kenyans into the social-economic fabric of central Ohio and promotion of Kenyan cultural life through cultural and economic programs.
Our long term goal is to help develop and promote a friendly and productive relationship between central Ohio and Kenya and to provide a suitable social environment to empower immigrants from Kenya socio-economically through dissemination of information.
Sec. 2: The Association shall function as a non-profit and non-partisan organization.
Sec. 3: The Association is not affiliated to any other organization. 

Article III - Membership

Sec. 1: The only qualifications of membership in The Association are to have an interest in issues affecting Kenya and Kenyans in Central Ohio; pay the annual dues; regularly attend association meetings; and participate in association activities.

Article IV - Association Officers

Sec. 1: Elected officers of The Association shall be the President, Vice-president, Secretary, Vice Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Treasurer and Organizing Secretary. These officers constitute the Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as The Board) with the President acting as Chairman.
Sec. 2: Appointed Officers of The Association shall chair the various committees.  These officers shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board.
Sec. 3: Any member in good standing shall be eligible to hold office.
The term of office shall be one year commencing with the Annual General Meeting hereinafter referred to as (AGM) meeting.

i.                     A member may only fill one elected office at one time.

ii.                    A member shall not succeed themselves in the same office for a period of more than three years.

Article V - Election of Officers

Sec. 1: Elective officers of The Association shall be nominated annually from the floor during the quarterly meeting before AGM.
Sec. 2: Election of officers shall be by secret ballot at the AGM. All registered members in good standing shall be eligible to cast a ballot. Members unable to attend the AGM may cast an “absentee” ballot. All absentee ballots must be in a sealed, unmarked envelope and received by the association secretary prior to the AGM.
Sec. 3: All ballots will be tallied by the Secretary and the results will be verified by two impartial club members. Vote totals and the new association officers shall be introduced prior to ending the AGM.

Article VI - Vacancies

Sec. 1: If any officer is unable to complete his or her term of office, a replacement will be elected/appointed at the earliest opportunity.
· Any vacancies on the Board, with the exception of President, shall be filled by appointment of the President and confirmed by a simple majority vote of the remaining members of the Board.
· If the President is unable to complete his or her term of office, the Vice-president will assume the duties of President until the next regularly scheduled Association meeting. At this meeting nominations shall be taken from the floor and a new President elected to finish the term of the former president.

Article VII – Committees

Sec. 1: Standing committees of The Association shall be the Development Committee, Social Committee and Election Committee.
i.          The Board may establish special committees as deemed necessary. Each committee shall be chaired by a member in good standing appointed by The Board.
ii.          A committee chair shall not succeed his or herself in the same position for more than three years.
Sec. 2: Only members in good standing may participate on a committee. Committee membership and meetings will be at the discretion of the committee chair and with concurrence of The Board.

Article VIII - Meetings

Sec. 1: The Association shall have quarterly meetings.
Sec. 2: Special meetings may be called by the President with concurrence from the Board.
Sec. 3: The  Board members shall meet once a month. A quorum of Board members is necessary before The Board may implement or change any Association policy. All Board meetings are open to Association members in a non-voting status.

Article IX-Quorum

Fifty percent of the Board Member must be present to make a quorum.  

Article X - Amendments

Sec. 1: Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed and debated at any regular Association meeting. An amendment may be ratified by a two-thirds majority vote of attending members at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Article XI - Dissolution

Sec. 1: The Association may be dissolved only by a vote of active members in good standing. A four-fifths majority of active members shall be required to dissolve the Association.
Sec. 2: Following an affirmative vote to dissolve The Association, any assets remaining in the treasury shall be disposed of as determined by a simple majority vote of the active members.

KENYA ASSOCIATION of CENTRAL OHIO CONSTITUTION BY-LAWS

Article I - Membership

Sec. 1: The payment of dues to the KENYA ASSOCIATION of CENTRAL OHIO, hereinafter referred to as The Association, in the amount determined by the Board will be required of each member. Dues are payable within the first quarter after the AGM. Any exceptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the elected officers, hereinafter referred to as The Board.
Sec. 2: No member shall be entitled to refund of dues upon severing connection with The Association.

Article II - Duties of Members

Sec. 1: Each member shall strive to promote the purposes of The Association as defined in the Mission Statement in The Association Constitution.
Sec. 2: Members may bring guests to Association meetings and special events. The same guest may attend more than one meeting or special events in one year.

Article III - Meetings

Sec. 1: Meetings will be held as prescribed in The Association Constitution.

Article IV - Association Officers

Sec. 1: Officers shall be elected or appointed as prescribed in The Association Constitution.

Article V - Duties of Officers

Sec. 1: The President shall preside at all meetings of The Association and be Ex-officio member of every committee. The President shall act as the principle point-of-contact between The Association and other similar groups, businesses, and /or organizations.
Sec. 2: The Vice-president shall assist the President, in any way required, and shall act for the President in his or her absence. The Vice-president shall also serve as Chairperson of at least one Committee.
Sec. 3: The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings, to include special and Board Meetings. The Secretary will maintain a roll of current and past members (for one year) showing in writing the full name, address, phone number, and E-mail (if applicable) of each. The Secretary will provide each member in good standing a card of membership in The Association.
Sec. 4: The Treasurer shall receive all moneys belonging to The Association, and pay out same according to projection stipulated by The Board. Any expenditure exceeding $50.00 shall require a vote by The Board and be approved by a simple majority of attending members.
· The Treasurer shall report to the Board on monthly and to the Association on quarterly basis on The Association’s financial status and obligations.
· Each month The Treasurer shall provide to the Secretary a current list of newly registered association members.
Sec. 5: The Organizing Secretary shall plan and organize KACO activities in conjunction with other committee members.
Sec. 6 :The immediate past president shall act in an advisory capacity to The Board and have full voting rights on The Board

Article VI - Committee Functions

Sec. 1: The Social Committee shall schedule, coordinate, and conduct all social functions for The Association.
Sec. 2: The Development Committee shall actively seek out new members and raise funds for The Association.
Sec. 3: The Election Committee shall be responsible for organizing and conducting elections