Ugandan Human Rights Commission (UHRC) is facing potential opposition from workers who accuse its superiors of masterminding their contractual termination.
The affected are volunteer staff who claim that the new administration of the Accounting Officer Nabiho Nyakana who replaced Gordon Mwesige following his retirement has reduced staff’s contract from 5 to 2 years
Speaking to a senior official at UHRC who asked not to be mentioned said that Nyakana made the decision without consulting or notifying the junior staff.
“These volunteers constitute majority-70% of the commission’s workforce and yet they are paid the least salary-shs 400000. Generally UHRC survives on the work of volunteers,” said an official who confessed revealing his identity would cause anxiety internally.
He would later add that the visibly irked staff wanted to petition Parlaiment but sought redress from UHRC head/ chairman Meddie Kaggwa who was at a time abroad.
“Their issues therefore were not worked on since Mr Kaggwa is always on plane. He never got time to hear their grivances,” UHRC official added.
The termination notice would be effective December 30.
Another source said Mr Nyakana sacked the staff because the commission is facing financial hurdles.
Their termination sparked off a spate of tension between the directors and top management which compelled Nyakana to direct Human Resource Manager to withdraw sacking notices.
Since Nyakana assumed office, a lot more workers have resigned acrimoniously while others notified management they would end their services with the organisation next February.
Kaggwa Speaks Out
Contacted by TrumpetNews to substantiate the claims, Chairman Meddie Kaggwa acknowledged that the volunteers had been fired but the decisioned was overturned.
“Volunteers allover the world have a contract of 6 months to 1 year. But only here in Uganda they have 5 years and that makes them think they are established by government yet they are not,” he said.
“These volunteers think by running to the media they think government will intervene.”
Kaggwa said at the time staff petitioned his office he was away but reigned on the circular that caused discomfort upon his return.
“The commission now has money and I can assure you the volunteers will not be sacked.”
He said for other issues he will sit with the affected workers once he concludes his annual report.
Kaggwa wondered why the employees would behave as if they are serving a union, “they shouldn’t forget we are government.”
Meddie Mulumba, a commissioner at UHRC who also talked this website earlier had said the volunteers’ issues had been sorted.