By Our Reporters
All isn’t well at NSSF following sharp disagreements between Finance Minister Matia Kasaija & trade unions uniting under NOTU. Whereas Kasaija says he has already reappointed the NSSF board members for another 5 year term, NOTU boss Wilson Owere says that’s abominable. Owere says Kasaija is supposed to have consulted NOTU to supply him with new names as opposed to just reappointing people who they intended to replace with new ones. “He is acting very arrogantly but on this one he is pressing a wrong button. We can actually cause him to lose both his MP and Ministerial positions. Let him learn from others who antagonized us before. Where is Maria Kiwanuka and Jessica Alupo who disrespected workers during the teachers strike? He might think he is very important but we shall make him weep very soon,” said Owere adding they are yet to call the General Assembly meeting to determine the next workers representatives on the NSSF board. He said their war with Kasaija is rooted in the impending changes in the NSSF Act which Kasaija wants to use to liberalize the pensions sector which they are against. “We are tested fighters who can’t be afraid of someone who has never contributed even a coin to NSSF. That’s workers money and its our mandate to protect it.” Tough-talking Owere belongs to the Trade Union movement which Kasaija contemptuously says is full of people who have an exaggerated sense of self importance. “I don’t want to discuss those people because they think they are very important as if they are the only stakeholders on NSSF matters,” said Kasaija while maintaining that “just take it from me I’m already done renewing those board members contract and its now 5 years and not three anymore.” Kasaija denied claims that he was acting clandestinely and in a hurry to reappoint his cronies just in case President Museveni doesn’t keep him at Finance ministry in the upcoming reshuffle. “I’m still the Minister of Finance and why should those NOTU fellows begin speculating about my cabinet position?” More later. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755.
