Kitariko Sues Govt Over Sh80m

FORMER electoral commissioner Robert Kitariko is suing the Government for wrongful dismissal and failure to pay him full retirement benefits amounting to sh80m, reports Hamis Kaheru.Kitariko’s attorney, Francis Bwengye, yesterday told a press conference in Kampala that he has already written to the Attorney General (AG) about his client’s intentions to sue.“I received instructions from Kitariko and I have already sent the notice to sue to the AG. I gave him 45 days to prepare himself. We are demanding sh87m plus,” Bwengye said.Kitariko and five other commissioners, including ex-Electoral Commission (EC) chief Hajji Aziz Kasujja, were on July 31 “retired in public interest” for mismanagement and incompetence following investigative reports by the IGG and the CID about EC affairs.“I believe there are others (commissioners) who are suing but I don’t want to talk for them,” Bwengye said. The other commissioners are Kasujja, his former deputy Mrs. Florence Nkurukenda, Charles Dickens Owiny, Ted Wamusi and Hadija Miiro.Acting EC head, Sr. Margaret Magoba, said after the sackings that she had received instructions from State House that the six commissioners be paid their full gratuity amounting to between sh70m-80m each.But justice and constitutional affairs minister Janat Mukwaya later said the commissioners were not entitled to any benefits.Ends