The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of the Parliamentary Commission are not aware about the move to terminate the contract of Chris Obore, the Parliament Director of Communication of Public Affairs (CPA).
Appearing before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Commissioners Peter Ogwang, Arinaitwe Rwakajara, Robina Nabbanja and Cecilia Ogwal denied knowledge that Obore’s job was on the line following a report by the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Irene Mulyagonja.
The four together with the Acting Deputy Clerk Corporate Affairs, Henry Waiswa and other officials had appeared before the committee chaired by West Budama South MP Jacob Marksons Oboth to present the policy statement of the Parliamentary Commission for the coming financial year 2019/2020.
While before the Committee, Ajuri County MP Dennis Hamson Obua and Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa referred to social media reports that had indicated the termination of Obore’s contract. He asked the Commission to give a brief to the committee concerning the position of the Parliament Director of Communication of Public Affairs.
Obua’s comments come after a letter dated March 5th, 2019 to Obore authored by the Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige in which she says that his recruitment as Director of Communication of Public Affairs at Parliament was based on an illegality.
In the letter, Kibirige explains that the illegality is part of the findings of the investigations by the Inspectorate of Government-IG into the recruitment and appointment of Director of Communication of Public Affairs at Parliament. She reports that the recruitment was founded on an illegality as it was in contravention of the Parliamentary Service (Staff) Regulations, 2001.
“In view of the finding by the IGG and the same having been brought to our attention, it follows that your employment as Director CPA in the Parliamentary Commission is based on an illegality and out to be reviewed. In the circumstances, it is apparent that your services will have to be terminated accordingly on terms to be agreed upon,” reads part of Kibirige’s letter in which her letter is copied to Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga and the Acting Deputy Clerk, Corporate Affairs.
Ogwang who is also the Usuk County MP told the committee that he was personally not aware of any decision to sack Obore insisting that all staff recruited by the Parliamentary Commission were going on with their work.
Ogwang who chairs the Parliamentary Commission sub-committee on finance made the statements as the other commissioners nodded in approval.
Waiswa also told the committee that the reports were not true since Obore was in office working. This is despite the fact that Waiswa copied in Kibirige’s letter.
Obua then cautioned the Parliamentary Commission about the matter saying that if anyone is to blame, the parliamentary commission is equally to blame.
His remarks were further followed by statements by the Committee Chairperson Oboth who noted the Obore had been single sourced for the job and also Ogwang insisted that the Commission was not aware of the reported developments.
Cecilia Ogwal, the Dokolo Woman MP said that Parliamentary Commission had not received the report by the IGG and was not aware of the move to terminate Obore’s contract.
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