On August 9, 2019 Judiciary carried out a mini reshuffle in which 11 of its officials were transferred to different offices across the country.
Among those transferred was Mr. Fred Waninda who served as registrar Judicial Planning and was sent to Masaka in the same capacity.
However, this website has exclusively established that Mr. Waninda has been grappling with claims of sexually harassing fellow employees including prosecutors.
While serving as the Registrar of Anti- Corruption Court, Mr. Waninda allegedly extended sexual advances to Deputy Inspectorate of Government while on a study trip in Ireland.
Shockingly none of his superiors was ready to reprimand Waninda for he wielded powers to an extent that he would effect a transfer to anyone who threatened his job.
His conduct was reported to the Inspectorate of Government (IG) Irene Mulyagonja, in 2014 who immediately kicked off investigation into the matter and interviewed a couple of victims who confirmed to have been harassed by Mr. Waninda but were not ready to testify fearing to lose their jobs.
Against that backdrop, Mulyagonja wrote a letter to the Chief Registrar Court of Judicature informing him of Waninda’s shenanigans.
Among the concerns IG raised was the alleged sexual harassment on her deputy while she was on a study trip in Ireland.
In her letter, IGG also directed that Waninda be interdicted immediately.
“This is therefore to order that you immediately interdict Fred Waninda from performing the duties of his office in order to make way for investigations of the allegations against him. The order shall remain in force until the investigations are concluded or until further orders from this office,” reads part of the letter we obtained.
Full Letter
The IG received complaints that the Registrar of the Anti- Corruption Court, Fred Waninda has put the repute of the Judiciary at risk by engaging in corrupt conduct and sexually harassing employees of the judiciary and allied institutions.
It was specifically alleged that Fred Waninda
- Forces judiciary staff to endorse false accounts and presents them to the judiciary.
- Bribes officers in charge of transfers and brags that the principal judge trusts and can’t do anything to discipline him.
- Is tribalistic, a womanizer and dictator; he gives money to Bagishu and his girlfriends in the division.
- Sexually harasses prosecutors, guards, secretaries and other support staff at the Anti- Corruption court; denial of sexual favours by those under his direct supervision as resulted in arbitrary transfers.
- While on a study trip to Ireland sexually harassed the deputy Inspector General of Government with whom he attended the trip in the company of other officers from the judiciary and directorate of public prosecution.
The IG has commenced an investigation of the allegations above and summoned several witnesses. However, though witnesses have confirmed to the IG that Fred Waninda engages in the conduct complained of, they are unwilling to record statements for fear of victimization.
It apparent that Fred Waninda has successfully created the image that not only is he protected by the system but can stop or destroy whoever tries to discipline him or denies him what he desires. He demonstrated this when he arbitrarily caused the transfer of seven women from the court who denied him sexual favours.
We are also informed from reliable sources that reports to the head of Anti-Corruption Division about the repulsive and demeaning conduct of the subject were ignored.
And as is glaringly apparent from the complaint of the DIG which I shared with you when we discussed these issues in my office this morning Fred Waninda now practices his misdeeds with impunity in the security that he will not be punished. This has resulted in the fear that victims of his advances have displayed before IG officers. Investigations are being hampered by his continued presence in his office.
Article 230 (2) of the constitution of the republic of Uganda and section 14 (6) of the Inspectorate of Government act provide for some of the special powers of the inspector general of government as follows;
“The Inspector General may, during the course of his or her duties or as a consequence of his or her finds makes such orders and give such directions as are necessary and appropriate in the circumstances”
This is therefore to order that you immediately interdict Fred Waninda from performing the duties of his office in order to make way for investigations of the allegations against him. The order shall remain in force until the investigations are concluded or until further orders from this office.
Judiciary Responds
Asked whether the Chief Registrar heeded to IGG’s order to interdict Mr. Waninda, Judiciary Spokesperson Solmon Muyita told this website that he wasn’t conversant with the complaint having assumed office in 2015 yet the case happened a year before.
But Mr. Solmon said for the time he has been executing his duties in office, Waninda has been equally active in office of Planning.
“He has been working,” he said.
Asked if the recent transfer stems from the 2014 investigations, Solmon said the mini-reshuffle is a normal working procedure which Judicial officers undergo which targets no one.
Ali Munira, the spokesperson to the IGG when contacted whether her boss followed up the case to find out if Waninda was indeed interdicted as she ordered, Munira said the Judiciary informed IG that they took “an administrative action.”
“I think being transferred from High Court to Planning was part of the administrative action,” she said.