Court petitioned to disband interim Red Cross board
Jul 30, 2014
Ssebunya filed a civil suit at the High Court in Kampala against URCS seeking a pronouncement that the Interim board has no mandate to restructure the organisation
By Andante Okanya
THE ex-chairman of the Central Governing Board of Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) Robert Ssebunya, has petitioned court to disband the interim board, saying it is operating illegally.
On Tuesday, Ssebunya filed a civil suit at the High Court in Kampala against URCS. He is seeking a pronouncement that the Interim board has no mandate to restructure the organisation.
Ssebunya was until last year November 26, the chairman URCS Board of Governors. He was compelled to resign after a vote of no confidence was made against the entire board.
He lament that the URCS national council illegally elected the interim board in the following month of December.
Through Law Associates Advocates, Ssebunya contends that the URCS Constitution does not give the interim board powers to effect any administrative changes.
“A declaration that the defendant (URCS) has no powers whatsoever under the defendant’s Constitution to hire or fire any employee or purport to restructure the defendant’s secretariat,” the petition reads in part.
He laments that the actions of the interim board have undermined his integrity and achievements when URCS was under his stewardship.
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.
Ssebunya, states that as a life member of URCS, he wants the interim board restrained, noting that the legacy of URCS could be undermined.
He is also demanding for damages and costs of the suit. However, he does not indicate the monetary value of both, leaving it to the discretion of the judge.
Ssebunya asserts that URCS was not served a notice of intention to sue due to the urgency of the matter
Court is yet to schedule a hearing date. However, in a brief phone interview with New Vision, the chairman URCS Stephen Tashobya, also Kajara County MP, said was not aware of the suit.
“Not to my knowledge. I will definitely respond when I read the court papers,” Tashobya, also a lawyer by profession, stated.
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