New secrets Emerge on NSSF saga.

 

It is common knowledge that in many corporate companies when one manager stays in one place for long, they tend to domesticate their offices. Managers in such positions cultivate networks of friends and power brokers that give them a cult – like feeling of authority and assurance that they are indispensable.

The story is worse if one is in a position where they pull strings on expenditures. They tend to abuse the resources and authority they hold.

This is the story at the workers’ National Social Security Fund where Mr. Richard Byarugaba has been at the helm of the multi – trillion shillings fund with such power that he knew that his pen alone could approve and or disapprove a multi – billion project or frustrate any deal where he didn’t approve.

This is what was the biggest lesson that the agony of Geraldine Ssali would have opened our eyes to. But because Byarugaba held unprecedented power then, the story of Ms. Ssali evaporated without much a do.

At the helm of his reign Richard Byarugaba has signed advertising deals with major media houses in the city that are working behind curtains to fight for his reinstatement. It’s tricky when media houses sign a business or MOU with what would be their news sources but that is the commercial journalism that has eroded the objectivity and independence of the media.

All supervising ministers of the fund have been working well with the Byarugaba leadership at NSSF that they frustrated the candidate who emerged best in the interviews that brought Byarugaba into office.

Listening from Charles Odongtho’s behind the headlines episode of Wednesday, January 11,2023 one would know that the Peter Kimbowa led NSSF Board is divided sharply between those for the status Quo, the neutral and the progressives who think the Deputy Managing Director Patrick Ayota should be allowed chance to lead the fund.

Cabinet too is divided between the Byarugabists led by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who wrote a letter directing on the MD’s reinstatement and Gender Minister Betty Amongi who has been the hardest and uncompromising of all Ministers Byarugaba has worked with. Ask yourself why would someone who has served out his time and even clocked his retirement age still insist he wants to lead a public entity as if it were his livestock farm. If you directed “Bribe Metre” through the Board and Ministers that have supervised the fund before i bet many would be ashamed.

The public fund has been a cash cow for all to abuse. Betty Amongi acting on strong evidence from her whistle blowers has stuck to her guns and kept Byarugaba out of office atleast until a forensic audit proves him innocent, but is he?

The media in apparent blackmail is awash with how Amongi ‘asked’ for 6bn to be included in the NSSF budget for her Ministry as if the 6bn is bigger that the inflated Nakigalala land purchase that NSSF under Byarugaba put at 400bn against a government valuer’s 240bn.

The media won’t tell you that under Richard Byarugaba the number of savers has remained stagnant at between 1.3 million savers against Uganda Investment Authority’s figures indicating a workforce of atleast 7 million people in the private sector. Are the employers not remitting anything for their workers or the fund isn’t reaching out to them? In this case both the workers and the fund are losing.

Shs3b NSSF complex in Jinja

Usher Were of NOTU who is more troubled at his own office is accusing Sam Lyomoki of COFTU and a Board member at NSSF is of including Ugx 1bn for himself in the budget. Doesn’t this open our eyes to how the fund has become a big cow for everyone to share?

For now until proven otherwise, i am giving Minister Betty Amongi a benefit of doubt. She’s acting for the savers/workers and deserves support. Whether it’s Byarugaba who failed to allow her to share in the loot or the reverse as true,the fund has been checked. Let IGG Betty Kamya do a thorough job although the bribe bug doesn’t fear her either. It can be sprayed to cause less damage. Save our savings, stop treating the fund as your potato garden. Take it or leave it.