How Byarugaba gave NSSF Board Members free cash at the expense of savers

A member of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has accused the former Managing Director (MD) Richard Byarugaba of initiating a money bonanza offer to them.

Hassan Lwabayi Mudiba, the General Secretary of the Uganda Local Government Workers Union and non-executive member of the board of the NSSF refuted claims that the board had initiated an idea to distribute Shs1b amongst themselves.

Lwabayi was responding to claims by NSSF MD Richard Byarugaba in which he said that on the contentious Shs1.8b, at least Shs1b went to the board following an idea which was initiated by them for social corporate activities.

Byarugaba had initially said that the money was disbursed following pressure on his shoulders enforced by those above him, notably the board and the minister of gender, labour and social development Betty Amongi.

However, Lwabayi said it is not true the board pressurized Byarugaba, instead, it is he who initiated the money bonanza talk.

“We were on a break, and while we stood, Byarugaba came with his phone and started swiping saying, this is for you, this is for him. Then I asked him under which framework?” Lwabayi said.

“This is the person who was soliciting me, now he is coming here to tell the committee that we were putting him under pressure,” he added.

The officials were also grilled on the recruitment process at the Fund where the majority of the Heads of Departments end up recruiting their relatives.

The Head of the Human Resource was also tasked with why he promoted Geoffrey Ssajabi to the Head of Business in 2017 without the minimum qualification of a master’s degree required for the position

The officials were also on the spot to explain the Shs2.3b that NSSF invested in the construction of the West Nile golf club in Arua. The Fund invested the savers’ money without a resolution from the NSSF Board nor an agreement between the NSSF and the management of the West Nile Golf club’.

The Head of Procurement Gerald Mugabi also faced the wrath of the Legislators on the 2.5bn shillings that he and two others used to travel to India to verify the applicability of the smart cards.

The issue of taking the whole department of People and Culture over 83 people to Dubai for a holiday using the savers’ money also generated a serious debate in the committee.

Meanwhile, Byarugaba’s phone has been confiscated by the committee for forensic studies as the committee finalises their report on the matter.

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