Ex-employees in Tororo petition President over sh22b

As presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni heads to Bukedi region, starting with Tororo on Saturday, the former workers of Tororo Industrial Chemical and Fertilisers Limited (TICAF) have asked for payment of their terminal benefits of sh22b.

In a letter dated October 3, 2020, addressed to the President, a total of 454 former employees have asked the President to intervene in the matter.

The former workers said their terminal benefits remained unpaid since the closure of the (TICAF) factory in 1986.

In their petition, they contend that they are law-abiding citizens who have never taken any legal action against the Government, despite their plight.

"Most workers have died, leaving their widows and orphans without any help. We are law-abiding citizens who have never gone to the streets to demonstrate. We have never taken the Government to court for redress as we believe in dialogue to solve problems," the petition states.

The current secretary of the association, Mariah Atyang, said despite several correspondences they sent to different offices of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Tororo district, district labour officer and the Ministry of Labour, Gender and Social Development, no action has been taken.

"Your Excellency, attached factory and the workers during the closure for repair in 1976 and the lay-off of the workers in 1978 and, subsequently the total closure in 1986. The total amount is only sh22b. Most of the workers have died, leaving their widows and orphans without help," the letter states.

Atyang said most of the former employees, including the former chairperson of TICAF, George Okoboy, who died recently, did not receive any money.

"In fact, we have been living miserable lives. The factory used to sponsor the children of the workers and when it was abruptly closed, our parents were caught unprepared.

Coping with the new life was not easy, since we could not afford the basic needs," Atyang said.

Clement Oketcho, 76, a former welder and mechanic and a resident of Maguria in Rubongi sub-county, is worried that he might die soon, like his colleagues, without getting his terminal benefits.

He appealed to the Government to address their plight.

Solomon Masinde, 85, a former laboratory technician and a resident of Buhehe sub-county in Busia district, said life has become too miserable to afford a meal a day.

Masinde, who is ill, said he cannot even afford medical bills and upkeep.

The company was manufacturing sulphuric acid, fertilisers and chemicals for agricultural use and had a wider market in the East African region.

Closure of the factory

From 1976, the factory was closed thrice. In a memo issued on October 13, 1976, the then factory secretary/accountant, J.B.O Wabwire, notified all the workers about the closure of the factory for repairs within six weeks and their salaries were immediately paid.

Employees were informed that in case the repairs were completed earlier, those affected would be recalled to resume work.

However, in another notice issued by the then assistant personnel officer C.A.M Owino on September 14, 1978, the workers were informed of the delay in repairing the factory.

Management said the employees would be informed through Uganda Broadcasting Corporation Later, a few senior workers were retained to take care of the machinery, until 1986 when the factory was permanently closed and equipment removed.

The junior staff who were affected have not been paid their terminal benefits to date.