Whistleblower wants land commission boss sacked

Lands minister Betty Amongi. A whistleblower wants the ULC secretary fired

A whistleblower has petitioned court to sack Uganda Land Commission (ULC) secretary Robert Nyombi, saying his appointment was made in error.

On October 11, Godfrey Akampurira filed a civil suit at the civil division of the High Court in Kampala, where he alleges that Nyombi was unlawfully deployed mid last year.

 "Akampurira says there was no vacancy in ULC and that if there are such vacant positions, the public service commission is mandated to conduct a competitive process to allow Ugandans to participate, a requirement that was not complied with."

Nyombi is jointly sued alongside the Attorney General (AG). Other defendants are ULC and lands permanent secretary Dorcas Okalany.

Through Sociis Path Advocates, Akampurira wants the appointment quashed. To justify his bid, Akampurira cites a letter dated March 31, 2016 from President Yoweri Museveni, addressed to the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda.

In the letter, with copy attached among court documents, Museveni expressed dismay at "unsustainability and mismanagement of government payroll including persistent supplementary funding due to irregular recruitment of staff without authorisation and following of due process in recruitment".

Akampurira also says ULC is an autonomous body and that Okalany postured as its supervisor when she posted Nyombi there as acting secretary and subsequently as substantive secretary.

The whistleblower claims the AG gave an erroneous opinion, which Okalany premised her endorsement of Nyombi.

Akampurira states that the irregular appointment has deprived Ugandans of opportunity to bid for employment through a competitive and transparent process.

The registrar of the court Sarah Langa has summoned and directed the defendants to heed, and file their defence, lest judgement is passed without their input.