A number of female workers at Electoral Commission (EC) have written to the top management over the misconduct of their boss Frederick Robert Wakabi.
Their complaint comes after Mr Wakabi was last week suspended by the Commission’s acting Secretary Leonard Mulekwa over alleged rumour mongering.
According to the suspension letter dated August 5, Wakabi is accused of disclosing confidential information to a third party without authorization.
“This serves to inform you that you have been suspended from duty for three months on half pay with effect from Monday 9th August, 2021 in line with Regulation 11.5.3 of the Electoral Commission Human Resource Manual,” reads the letter of suspension.
Mulekwah said Wakabi’s suspension will allow the Commission to investigate the latter on charges of “incitement with intent to cause disobedience to undermine administration”, and “making false statements and misrepresentations” which is likely to “bring the Commission and its staff into disrepute, disrespect and defamation!’
Sexual Harassment
An investigation conducted by TrumpetNews indicates that junior female workers on learning Wakabi’s absence from office, bombarded the office of the Director Human Resource with accusations of sexual harassment against Mr Wakabi.
“After reporting him to the Human Resource, these girls have said they are ready to testify against Wakabi in the top management,” said a senior official in the commission.
“Already we have their letter, but we are doing our investigations.”
This senior official however, asked this website not to divulge details of this complaint saying exposing the complainants will jeopardize investigations.
But this website has further learnt because Wakabi’s office oversees the welfare and also recruits workers, he would allegedly use that advantage to place female workers in daring situations and subsequently “harass them.”
A separate source said that whereas the issue of sexual harassment appears nowhere in Mulekwah’s letter, it is one of the main accusations that resulted into his suspension, “and management is actively investigating this allegation.”
Leaking secrets
It is further alleged that when Wakabi would attend senior management meetings, on behalf of his senior James Nuwamanya who was on leave.
While the top administration discussed promotions of staff members. Upon leaving the meeting, Wakabi started calling his colleagues informing them about the confidential details of the top management meeting.
“Wakabi would call some staff members whose promotions were being discussed in the meeting, telling them how some administrators don’t like them,” sources said.
Mulekwah subsequently called a management meeting which suspended Wakabi. Top management accused Wakabi of flouting regulations which prohibits disclosure of confidential information.
“You are required to handover all Commission property in your possession (except the official identity card) and work in progress to your immediate supervisor before you proceed for the suspension,” Mulekwah ordered Wakabi.
Contacted for a comment, Paul Bukenya, the EC publicist was unavailable for a comment.