Ugandan NSSF Public Relations Officer employs four relatives in the same department
Ugandan National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Sajjabi was early this week exposed for employing four relatives in the same department.
Sajjabi who faced parliamentarians following the NSSF probe on mismanagement of finances admitted to working with his relatives.
The family members ranged from his siblings, cousins, and in-laws.
Working as the Head of the Business department in NSSF, Sajjabi was asked to ascertain his relationship with the following; Sarah Sajjabi (sister), Nevia Nangobi (sister), Joel Muganza (brother-in-law), Rashid Waisswa (cousin), Amanda Achieng (niece), and Ian Lumonya (nephew).
According to Sajjabi, Nangobi, and Waisswa are not related to him.
The committee clarified that Ugandan law does not prohibit one from working with his relative as long as they are both qualified.
However, it questioned, “Is it a coincidence that you have all these family members and relatives in your department? Were they the only ones who qualified and performed better during the interviews?”
Also read: Toto’s alleged nepotism relatable in Uganda
In defense, Sajjabi said that he did not participate in the employment of any of his relatives.
“Twice when people were competing for jobs in my department, I sent an email to the HR with the former MD in copy declaring that for this particular role, I do not want to participate even in nominating people because I have got relatives competing for it.”
Trouble at NSSF started last year when the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Betty Amongi asked the outgoing managing director, Richard Byarugaba to leave office on the basis of clocking the retirement age of 60, leaving his deputy Patrick Ayota in acting capacity as the managing director.
The Inspectorate of Government office would then take over investigations into alleged abuse of office, corruption, and mismanagement of NSSF funds.
Nepotism is also experienced in Kenya with Bomet Women Representative Linet Chepkorir alias Toto falling in trouble for allegedly hiring relatives.
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