Our Reporter.
That Geraldine Ssali’s NSSF contract was not renewed is no longer news. Your attention should be drawn closer to reasons behind her sacking.
Our sources at the workers’ fund have revealed that her dismissal followed definitive recommendations contained in a report submitted by NSSF’s Staff and Corporate Affairs (SACA) committee submitted some weeks ago.
SACA is composed of Florence Mawejje, Penninah Tukamwesiga, Nelson Makwasi and Richard Byarugaba.
After SACA submitted its report, 7 out of the 9 NSSF board members sat on September 25th 2017 to among other things review this report and also discuss the possibility of renewing the contracts of NSSF’s 3 statutory appointees – Richard Byarugaba (Managing Director), Geraldine Ssali (Deputy Managing Director) and Richard Wabwire (Corporation Secretary) with the trio’s three years contracts are due to expire 30th November 2017, 29th October 2017 and 29th October 2017 respectively.
While the board agreed to renew the contracts for Richard Byarugaba and Richard Wabwire, it was never the case for Geraldine Ssali. Sources privy to what transpired in this meeting noted that the board without any prejudice whatsoever voted not to extend her stay.
In a letter dated September 26th, 2017 addressed to the Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija, the NSSF Board Chairman Patrick Byabakama Kabarenge noted that Ssali be allowed to exit from the Fund because her performance over the last three years has been just ‘good enough’.
The board also notes that, “her character has been abrasive as evidenced by various caution letters in her file. “
“The relationship between her and her the Managing Director has been disconcerting and not good to the Funds reputation. Various attempts to intermediate between the two offices have come to nothing,” the board said.
Now Geraldine Ssali’s fate lays in the hands of the finance minister who can accept the board’s recommendations or reject them altogether.
Legal Interpretation.
However, there are concerns that the current NSSF ACT which allows the minister to appoint the board, the managing director and the Deputy Managing Director creates problems and a potential for frequent clashes.
In fact, sources privy to the infighting attributes Geraldine’s stubbornness to this legal gaps allowing the deputy MD to think she is not accountable to the MD.
“The law needs to be revised to allow the board to appoint both the MD and the DMD and thus keep them in check. You cannot effectively supervise someone you did not hire or cannot fire. There is an urgent need to address the administrative gap- because both MD and DMD are appointed by Finance Minister, the DMD finds it convenient to disrespect the board and MD. This needs to be addressed,” said the analyst.
In 2016 Ssali was suspended by NSSF board on grounds of indiscipline. She sued NSSF, the board chairman Kaberenge and Byarugaba and the courts cancelled her suspension and reinstated her in office pending investigations into her alleged insubordination. However two days after the court order, the security guards at Workers House, blocked her from entering her office forcing her to go to court and sue the Byarugaba and Kaberenge over contempt of a court.
She would later hold a meeting with Finance Minister Kasaijja and some members of the board and it was resolved that she be reinstated but on condition that she withdraws all the cases against NSSF in the High Court.
She however maintained that NSSF, the board chairman and the MD to pay her a fine of Shs1billion plus compensation for contempt of court.
