Godfrey Nabongo, the Deputy Executive Director of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), finds himself at the center of controversy after his bid for a contract extension was rejected due to poor performance evaluations.
After 24 years of service at UBOS, where he rose through the ranks to hold high-level positions, Nabongo’s future at the organization is now in doubt.
Nabongo’s tenure coincided with his reaching 60 years of age earlier this year, which is the mandatory retirement age for civil servants in Uganda.
However, civil servants with ongoing contracts can seek an extension under a “special contract” from the appointing authority, provided their performance meets expectations.
Nabongo, whose current term had three more years remaining, was pushing for such an extension.
The UBOS Board, however, reviewed his performance and found it significantly below expectations in a report submitted in February.
He was advised to make another report in July, in which there was a mismatch in Key Performance Indicators, meaning he had attempted to alter his report.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), a quantifiable measure of performance over time for a specific objective. KPIs provide targets for teams to shoot for, milestones to gauge progress, and insights that help people across the organization make better decisions.
Citing concerns about his effectiveness and contribution to the institution’s mission, the Board recommended that Nabongo not be granted the special contract. Despite his long-standing service, his recent performance appraisals indicated that he had fallen short of the standards required for continued leadership at such a critical level within the institution.
Nabongo, seemingly unprepared for this decision, has reacted by filing a legal case, seeking compensation of UGX 1 billion, arguing that he has a valid running contract.
Sources suggest that he is also leveraging his insider knowledge of UBOS to undermine its operations, particularly at a time when the institution is gearing up to release the final census results in December.
This situation has raised questions about leadership accountability and the need for consistent performance, regardless of tenure.
For UBOS, the coming months will be crucial as they deal with this internal friction while trying to maintain the integrity of their operations.