By John Okello Lapok
In September this year, the contract of the Chairperson Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Hajati Safia Nalule Jjuuko came to an end. Similarly, the contracts for all members of the EOC commission also ended, save for one of them identified as Habib Seruwagi.
The commission properly under men and women of Allah, is currently running without political oversight as Seruwagi cannot take a single-man decision.
According to inspectors, the Chairperson and all her Commissioners submitted requests to the President beseeching him to renew their contracts. However, the son of Mzee Amos Kaguta and Maama Esteeri Kokundeka has up to now remained reluctant to do so, leaving the commissioners in total anxiety.
Inspectors told us that Museveni’s reluctance to grant another rap to the group is premised on information he gathered from parliament in relation to the failed merger of government agencies.
The President had badly wanted to merge both the EOC and the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) just like he did to other agencies but his desires were allegedly frustrated.
Apparently, when three legislators were arrested, the President was briefed on a number of issues including an allegation that some agencies wanting to remain in place, offered mega ‘PDM’ to influencers in Parliament to frustrate the merger. The President commenced a covert investigation on each of the named agencies and a detailed report went to him.
That’s why the merger of some of the agencies kept featuring on the Order Paper but no action was taken until the term of Parliament expired.
“He is still studying two important reports before he makes a decision. Depending on what his investigators gave him, that’s when a decision will be taken on contracts renewal. But for now, no action can be taken” explained an inspector, adding that actually, majority of those found to be in that league of ‘PDM’ donation will suffer a fate similar to what happened in the Public Service Commission. Whereas in the PSC it wasn’t about alleged ‘PDM’, their problem was allegedly infighting which forced the President to dump all the Commissioners recently.
In addition, we’re told the President is still interested in having the merger effected. As such, renewal of the contracts of the EOC commissioners and staff becomes a matter of debate, fearing compensation of the members for possible termination of their contracts in case the merger (most likely) takes place after renewal.
“The best option is to leave every contract to die naturally. Those with expired ones, serve well in the plan. Renewing them could prove a burden to the tax payer. That’s why he hasn’t taken a decision yet” explained an inspector, adding that even Staff (renewed) contracts for the unmerged agencies now do not go beyond 6 months. This is being done to avoid unnecessary compensation charges since most staff will be sent packing.
In the plan, not all commissioners will be retained. With UHRC already having seven and EOC also six, this will require the President to compensate about eight of them in case EOC commission contracts are renewed. The best option on table according to inspectors is to freeze the renewal process until a final decision on the merger is taken.
The President we’re told is waiting for a report from the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs and the Attorney General who are supposed to consult with the Speaker of Parliament Oboth Oboth on the possibility of having the merger effected soonest or never.
WHAT ARRESTED MPS TOLD HIM
When they were arrested, the President summoned the legislators to State House Entebbe. In his interrogation, he asked them why they were keeping huge sums of money in their homes. He also asked them why they were collecting it as if they were up for a certain mission.
“By keeping such amounts of money in your homes, aren’t you putting your security at risk? Why keep huge sums of money in your houses?” He wondered.
One of the MPs according to inspectors, narrated to the President that whereas they kept the money, it did not belong to the them. That each member in the project had been tasked to collect a certain amount which; until it was full, he or she delivered it to the ‘boss’.
This explains why several sacks full of money were recovered by security agencies during the raid on the MPs’ homes.
The members took the President through a line of entities where they collected the dimes, the purpose and period of reporting. It’s not clear whether EOC was one of them, but our inspectors will report on this as soon as it’s details are ready for us.
Irritated by their revelations, that’s why the President threw back the budget to parliament demanding that all gaps for stealing as revealed by the arrested legislators be closed.
PRECEDENT
In 2021, when the contract for then EOC Chairperson Sylvia Muwebwa Nabatanzi Ntambi ended, inspectors said there was massive lobbying for her contract to be renewed alongside that of three other commissioners.
The President, having kept everyone guessing on his next plan, eventually dropped her and part of her team even when they were eligible for another rap.
The President instead, appointed Hajati Safia Nalule Jjuuko, the former MP representing PWD women at National level in parliament. He appointed them in April 2021 and forwarded the list to Speaker Rebecca Kadaga for approval by parliament. Their five-year contract has since expired and inspectors said lobbying for a second term (which would be happening for the first time in case) is going on.
Even members of her team including Denise Tumusiime, Joel Cox Ojuko (Vice Chairperson), Zaidi Edema, Sr Mary Wasagali, lobbying is said to be rolling. Interestingly, inspectors said one of the former members wants to grab the position from Nalule and is intensely lobbying to be the Chairperson.
According to Dr Nasser Shaft Mukwaaya, the Secretary to the EOC, ‘some of the contracts for members expired, but the commission continues to run. This matter is going to be handled and the commission will soon be fully constituted. As we wait for the President to appoint or renew contracts for members, EOC is doing it’s work’
Meanwhile, is the NRM secretariat team also panicking over renewal? Who’s coming and who’s going? Watch the space!
