At NSSF, Board members serve for a maximum of two terms each of three years. Beyond that, one ceases to be eligible. Patrick Kaberenge, a former Director at Bank of Uganda, has been Chairman NSSF governing Board since 2015 and his term will be ending next month along with his other board members. Whereas members are eligible for retention, it’s never automatic. The line minister, in this case Matia Kasaija, always has discretionary powers to either re-appoint them or bring in totally a new team. Now there are rumors that cabinet reshuffle is around the corner because the two factors understood to have delayed the big man’s act of swinging the axe are fast being overcome. These are the LC1 elections and the Constitutional Court ruling which is due in Mbale next Thursday 26th July. It’s widely expected that anytime thereafter the President will reshuffle his cabinet to bring in new energy and to also replace those that have been embroiled in scandals. This anxiety and fear for the unknown, in case Kasaija is dropped from the Finance docket, has resulted into increased pressure on the Buyanja County MP not to only renew the Board but to also endorse proposals to lengthen its tenure from 3 to 5 years. This was already done by the same Kasaija for the members of top management who will now be serving 5 as opposed to 3 years like their predecessors. “There is a lot of lobbying and Kasaija is under much pressure from many interested groups. And yet the man has his own anxiety not being sure whether he will retain his juicy post of Finance,” said one of the corporate sources we spoke to for this article. Already from the trade unions (COFTU & NOTU), there is pressure to have Peninah Tukamwesiga dropped as the big men Peter Christopher Werikhe and Wilson Owere want to come in and dictate things from the Board. They are tired of delegating their juniors yet even Tukamwesiga is still interested having tasted the sweetness of the NSSF chair. Those opposed to the two big men say they are undeserving because of the sex scandals and fights that have lately escalated in the headquarters of their respective trade unions. One employee called Bernadette Akello epitomized the chaos thereof when she reported the matter to the IGG claiming she was being mistreated because she refused to sleep with one of her supervisors at the Ntinda offices. The trade unionists are planning to call a news conference to denounce Matia Kasaija for attempting to make Board renewal-related decisions quietly yet the corporate governance values that NSSF espouses require maximum transparency. Even in the Federation of Uganda Employers, which sends two representatives on the NSSF board to represent employers, all isn’t well because there is a clique of selfish individuals that wants the two incumbent ladies (Sarah Walusimbi and Florence Namata Namawejje) recalled even when the membership is satisfied they have performed exceptionally well. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755.
