Red Cross slams ex-chairman over hypocrisy

Aug 26, 2014

THE Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has slammed its ex-chairman Robert Ssebunya, branding him a hypocrite for suing the entity over a purported illegal interim board

By Andante Okanya

 

THE Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has slammed its ex-chairman Robert Ssebunya, branding him a hypocrite for suing the entity over a  purported illegal interim board, which he is said to have endorsed.

 

The entity’s rebuttal is contained in its statement of defence filed on August 18 at the civil division High Court in Kampala.

 

Through Katende, Ssempebwa and Company, URCS contends that Ssebunya participated in proceedings in the run up to the election of the interim board.

 

“The defendant (URCS) will show that the plaintiff (Ssebunya) fully participated in the election of the current central governing board (CBG)  and that the plaintiff has since that time publically endorsed the board for its good work in redeeming the image of the defendant society,” URCS’s summary in defence reads in part.

 

The case arose this year on July 29, when Ssebunya petitioned the court, demanding that the interim board be disbanded.

 

He is also seeking a pronouncement that the Interim board has no mandate to restructure the organisation.

 

Ssebunya was until last year November 26, the chairman URCS CBG. He was compelled to resign after a vote of no confidence was made against the entire CBG.

 

The petition is also premised on a notice recently issued by the interim board, informing employees of an impending restructuring process. Employees were given up to July 31 to reapply for their jobs.

 

Ssebunya cites purported illegalities like the dismissal of senior finance officials by the adhoc committee over financial mismanagement before a Police or tax body probe.

 

He also slams the interim board, saying it has deliberately declined to publish a Uganda Revenue Authority audit report which exonerated former senior officials of financial impropriety.

 

But URCS raps Ssebunya, noting that as a member of the extraordinary elective  council, he attended the meeting convened last year on December 4, and did not oppose  the resolutions.

 

“The plaintiff attended the meeting in person and did not raise any objection as to the validity of impropriety of the proceedings,” URCS notes.

 

A hearing date is yet to be scheduled.

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