President Yoweri Museveni has asked Finance Minister Matia Kasaijja to ensure that Pius Bigirimana, who is also the permanent secretary at the ministry of gender, labour and social development is confirmed as a member representing workers on the Umeme board
At the Umeme annual general meeting held in May, shareholders rejected Bigirimana’s appointment to the board citing various reasons. However, there was talk that the shareholders had been influenced by unnamed forces to dump the amiable PS.
Bigirimana who has been taunted an ant-corruption tzar in public service, was reportedly sidelined by what he termed as ‘mafia”, yet his work record was stellar. Bigirimana is also a board member on the NSSF board.
In July, workers under their umbrella body, the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) who met president Museveni said they were saddened by Bigirimana’s rejection and asked the president to intervene. The workers said they trusted Bigirimana to ably represent their interests and called on the president to make the ‘push’.
With their call, the president last month wrote a letter to the finance minister asking why Bigirimana who was nominated by the workers body to represent NSSF was sidelined saying that “the workers are concerned that Umeme has intentionally left out their representative on the board and have appealed to me to intervene in protecting their interests”
In the letter to the finance minister, Museveni said “ I am therefore directing you to urgently investigate their complaint and ensure that Mr. Pius Bigirimana is appointed to the board of Umeme to safeguard worker’s interests.
Efforts to reach Umeme Board Chairman Patrick Bitature were futile. Bigirimana is credited for being incorruptible and has previously exposed rogue public servants to the praise of President Museveni whose fight against corruption is known.
