Minister Amongi and NSSF boss in row over his retirement from office

Amongi, who is the co-political overseer of the Fund, alongside her Finance counterpart Matia Kasaija, wrote a letter on July 22, 2022 to Byarugaba, noting that under the Public Service Standing Order and NSSF Human Resource Policy, he should retire after clocking 60 years which was to be in four days after the date on the letter.

He was supposed to hand over to his Deputy, Patrick Ayota, who retired when he clocked 60, but was rehired on a two years fixed contract.

"I note that the deputy managing director heeded to the law and retired, and I have appointed him on [a fixed two-year] contract. You have, however, not officially retired although, by law, your retirement is mandatory and automatic upon attainment of the retirement age of 60 years,” the minister wrote.

In the letter, she told him that his continued presence at the Fund would put it at risk because he was working outside the law at his age.

"Note that all actions you take now, on behalf of the Fund, are not protected by any law and can be challenged. This is dangerous for the operations of the Fund and I cannot continue to put the Fund at risk without addressing the matter," she added.

However, Byarugaba is reportedly determined to complete his contract which runs out some time at the start of December.

And the storm around his retirement rages on...

In the same letter, Amongi alerted the Fund Board chairperson Peter Kimbowa that age had caught up with Byarugaba. She said that there was a possibility of rehiring him but only if he retired first.

Three months after the letter was issued, on October 20, a number of signatories who claimed to be leaders of workers, trade unions, NSSF staff and savers, petitioned President Museveni to direct investigations into allegations of corruption and abuse of office against Byarugaba.

Amongi herself, wrote to President Museveni, notifying him that under the law, Byarugaba was supposed to retire at 60 regardless of his contract. It is unclear whether the President responded or not.

However, speaking yesterday, according to Kimbowa, the allegations were found to be unfounded in regard to the contracting out of the construction of the Fund’s Pension Towers on Lumumba Avenue in Kampala.

“So, we did not find any culpability with the Pension Towers,” he said, speaking in the presence of Minister Amongi.

He also said that there was no bad blood between Amongi and Byarugaba which alleged conflict came up in claims that Byarugaba had declined to provide Shs6 billion from the Fund for Fund-related activities run by the Gender and Labour Ministry.

Kimbowa said that the money had been redirected to expand NSSF agenda under the revised law and only the board members oversaw this redirection.

In an interview yesterday, Amongi said that the Solicitor General, who's the technical head in the Office of the Attorney General, had advised her to let Byarugaba's case be handled under NSSF Human Resources Policy alone.

But the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, came out later and said that his counterpart's advise had been in "error" and that a new legal opinion would be given.

“I am sorry I can’t discuss whether and what opinion I am going to issue to the minister regarding the NSSF managing director. Kindly call the minister and ask her if she has not already received new guidance,” Kiwanuka said when asked about the new legal action.

In the same interview yesterday, Amongi said "I am waiting for the new legal opinion from the Attorney General or Solicitor General."