Richard Byarugaba the new NSSF boss may only save his credibility if he 'professionally' handles instructions from above, which is one reason why that seat is hot. It is a fact that many people who have taken up positions in big jobs have failed simply because they are compromised by instructions from above yet when in case of problems they are to go alone to Luzira. For a man who is a Managing Director, why not ask who ever the instruction from above is to put his instructions in writing? If he or she cannot, then you can not act on empty space; simple like that. Secondly, even if the instructions are from above, why not convene an immediate meeting of the Board and if so, even let the word leak to the press? A man who went to school should not sacrifice himself and end up going to Luzira because of instructions from above. The standing orders are the norm to be followed whether it is who as long as such a one is not above the law.
As for my friend Byarugaba, he is taking up a job where anybody of average managerial capacity can run as long as the group effort of staff and the Board is well utilised. The moment my friend goes it alone, the same fate will follow him. Nothing like operating on instructions from above when the one giving them has not put it in writing, and it is simple to get the Board and or other Government organs intervene,and that is how difficult politicians who assume that once they are in office laws and standing orders are not necessary, and least bothered about soiling the hard won repute of others as long as long as their selfish interests are met.
William Kituuka
MUSEVENI WANTS WORKERS' SAVINGS FOR MPs CHAMBER!
Chris Baryomunsi, MP for Kinkizi County East confirmed the NSSF option and the possibility of borrowing from the savings body.
By Yasiin Mugerwa
Posted Tuesday, August 30 2011 at 00:00
President Museveni has asked Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka to look into the possibility of borrowing more than Shs300 billion from the National Social Security Fund to pay for construction of a new Parliament chamber.
The President’s directive followed a meeting between him and the Parliamentary Commission on August 4 at State House, Entebbe, where commissioners said there is no money for the proposed expansion works to accommodate a Parliament that has ballooned to more than 375 members.
With the Finance minister yet to respond, Shadow Finance Minister Geoffrey Ekanya, whose docket handles social security, has demanded that the proposed construction of a new chamber be delayed. He warned that it would be ill-advised to use NSSF money to finance such a venture.
Improper move
The Fund holds more than Shs2 trillion in savings belonging to more than 45,000 private sector workers. Mr Ekanya said some MPs “don’t even attend Parliament, they only come when the President is around and we have a conference hall.” “In any case, it’s improper to borrow money from NSSF when we are liberalising the pension sector,” he added.
Mr Patrick Amuriat, chairman of the House committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises, also warned that “if NSSF gives Parliament this money they will be asked to refund it.” “The solution to the crisis in Parliament is not to have a bigger chamber, what we need is a small Parliament which is not a burden to the taxpayer.”
While authorities in Parliament said NSSF was just one of the options, workers representatives, trade unionists and some lawmakers are having none of it. “We cannot give Parliament money when we don’t even know the future of the NSSF,” the National Organisation of Trade Unions chairman general, Mr Wilson Owere, said. “President Museveni and Parliament shouldn’t touch our money. How can we be sure that this money will be paid back? In any case, these are the same people who want to repeal the NSSF Act.”
Mr Owere said workers would ask their representatives on the NSSF Board to halt any transactions at the Fund until the issue of liberalisation of the pension sector is solved. “The issue of borrowing money from NSSF is something we cannot even discuss now,” he said. This is workers money they want yet when it comes to policy decisions we are sidelined. On the issue of the new chamber for Parliament, we are not going to accept. Let them look elsewhere.”
Last Friday, the House Legal Committee heard from commissioners Chris Baryomunsi, Elijah Okupa, Emmanuel Dombo and Ms Jalia Bintu who confirmed the NSSF option. The committee later proposed to meet Ms Kiwanuka over the matter. “The funding of the new chamber is not yet clear but we want to borrow from the NSSF,” Mr Baryomunsi, who led the team, said. “We met the President and the minister for finance was instructed to look into the possibility of borrowing from the NSSF but we are yet to get a response on the matter.”
Explaining how they arrived at the Fund’s money, Mr Okupa said: “We were told that the Dodoma Parliament [in Tanzania] was constructed using money borrowed from NSSF. But we are going to look at other sources.” The Director of Finance and Administration in Parliament, Mr Okello Obabaro, told the committee that unless the government provides Shs25 billion to finance the ongoing car park project, the contractor will not proceed.
In 2009, Parliament stopped a proposal by Uganda Revenue Authority to borrow Shs20.6 billion from NSSF for construction of its headquarters in Nakawa, a Kampala suburb, for fear that the money could be abused. Ms Kiwanuka was not available for comment.
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