Man asks High Court to block Byarugaba’s return to NSSF
Mr Richard Byarugaba, the new NSSF boss. PHOTO BY FAISWAL KASIRYE
What you need to know:
Accusations. A saver with the Fund says Mr Richard Byarugaba and Ms Geraldine Ssali were wrongly reappointed since they were not the best candidates in the interviews.
Kampala. A National Social Security Fund (NSSF) member has asked court to revoke the reappointment of Mr Richard Byarugaba as the Fund’s managing director.
Mr Vincent Kibanja, through his lawyers, Tumusiime, Kabega and Company Advocates, also wants Finance minister Maria Kiwanuka to stay the re-appointment of Ms Geraldine Ssali as deputy managing director, arguing that the two were not the best candidates in the interviews conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC).
Mr Kibanja also argues that Mr Byarugaba demanded for a lot of money as salary.
Mr Byarugaba is set to report to work on December 1. Justice Lydia Mugambe will hear the case and rule on the matter on February 5.
In his affidavit, Mr Kibanja says by appointing Mr Byarugaba and Ms Ssali against the advice and recommendations of the NSSF Board of Directors, Ms Kiwanuka contravened the culture of good governance. The board recommended for the appointment of Mr Edgar Agaba and Mr Patrick Ayota as managing director and deputy managing director respectively.
“The appointment of Richard Patrick Byarugaba as MD and Geraldine Ssali as Deputy MD is irregular, unfair, unjust and discriminatory against the candidates who emerged the best in the recruitment process conducted by pricewaterhousecoopers and the board of directors of NSSF,” the affidavit that was filed in the High Court on November 12, reads in part.
What law says
The NSSF Act is silent on how the minister should appoint the NSSF managing director.
NSSF head of marketing and communication Edgar Birungi told this newspaper yesterday that there is no section of the NSSF Act that empowers her to do that but added that the minister is at liberty to choose anybody of her choice.
“She can choose anybody even from outside those on the list and the minister has absolute powers and she doesn’t have to give explanation to anybody,” Mr Birungi said.
THE BACKGROUND
Ms Kiwanuka appointed Mr Byarugaba and Ms Ssali as MD and Deputy MD respectively. Both had come third in interviews where Mr Agaba and Mr Joseph Kitamirike had come first and second. Mr Byarugaba last week asked NSSF to pay him shs45 million as monthly before he reports for duty.
