NOTU Leadership: The Impeached Usher Wilson Owere Floors his Nemeses in the Registrar of Labour Union Verdict

Without much ado, nothing has changed and thus, unless a proper and clearly constituted Governing Board Council Meeting is convened in accordance with the NOTU constitution, Mr. Usher Wilson Owere continues to preside over the Labour Unions society, the Investigator can authoritatively write.

In his letter, with copies to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour Gender and Social Development, Commissioner Labour Industrial Relations and Productivity, the NOTU Chairman General and all NOTU affiliates, Mr. Martin Wandera, the Registrar of Labour Unions, Mr. Owere, is still and will continue occupying his office as the Chairman General (CG) of NOTU.

According to different findings by the Labour Unions office, “The position of Chairman general was not vacant by the 15^th November and remains occupied by Mr. Usher Wilson Owere.” With the other positions that were vacant by 15^th November when the Extra Ordinary Governing Council meeting was held, Mr. Wandera articulates thus; “I reorganize the need and urgency to fill the vacant positions. However, the process of filling the vacant positions should be in accordance with the NOTU constitution.”

The same registrar of Labour Unions apparently declined the proposed changes in the organization’s top leadership. “I accordingly decline to register the following proposed changes in the leadership of NOTU,” read a letter signed by Martin Wandera (Registrar Labour Unions) and in possession by this website.

In his acting capacity, Bigirwa Richard, upon his appointment as the acting Secretary General (SG), had written to the office of the registrar of Labour Unions to propose changes to the top NOTU leadership that included Mr. Mugole Stephen (Chairman General), Bigirwa Richard (Secretary General), Mauka Richard Moses and Miss Badaru Barbra as Treasurer General and Deputy Treasurer General respectively, all in acting capacity.

Wandera bases his judgement and verdict on his findings on the different issues that revolved around the Extra Ordinary Central Governing Council meeting that pushed Owere out of his position as CG. The issues outlined and based the findings and verdict included; Whether the Extraordinary Central governing council is one of the meetings provided for in the NOTU constitution and, whether the Extra Ordinary General Council meeting was dully convened.

Also, whether the positions of the Chairman General, Secretary General, Treasure General and Deputy Treasurer General were vacant as of 15^th November 2022. And, whether the Extra Ordinary Central Governing Council was mandated by NOTU Constitution to fill vacant positions/offices. In his findings and conclusion, Wandera noted, the Extra Ordinary Governing Council meeting held on 15^th November is not one of the meetings provided for in the NOTU constitution and was therefore not duly a convened meeting.

That, the positions of SG and TG and that of the D/TG were vacant by the 15^th November 2022 and the same remains vacant. Also, the position of CG was not vacant by the 15^th November and remains occupied by Mr. Usher Wilson Owere. That also, the mandate of filling the positions of the vacant posts, rests with the Governing Board with approval of the Central Governing Council and not the non-existent Extra Ordinary Governing Council.

Wandera therefore nullifies the results of the November 15^th meeting on the above grounds, leaving Owere on top of his rivaling Unionists. Officials of at least a third of these unions attended the extraordinary meeting and afterwards, announced that they had ousted Usher Wilson Owere, their national Chairman General of 14 years.

Allegations touted against him, which he denies, include incompetence, intrigue and dictatorship as well as imposing policies on members, and unlawfully holding out both as titular head and spokesperson of all workers. Owere however retorts that those who had engineered his removal from office are positioning themselves to capture workers’ organizations for their self-interest.

Talking to the Investigator last month, Owere had called upon all workers of Uganda to be very alert and not allow detractors to disorganize workers’ organizations as they could derail the workers cause. The impeached NOTU Chairperson has accused his political foes of plotting to eject him and install puppets in order to prevent finance-related and maladministration scrutiny.

NOTU in Uganda comprises 34 affiliates, each with own executives and all of them individually represented on the nationally body. Owere accuses his political foes, among them outgoing NOTU General Secretary, Peter Werikhe, elected last year to represent Bubulo West in the 11^th Parliament, of plotting to eject him and install puppets in order to prevent finance-related and maladministration scrutiny.

But Owere, in his capacity and understanding of NOTU having been in the office for 14 years, NOTU Constitution bars its executives from engaging in partisan politics and in the case of General Secretary, the officer bearer is not to hold another full-time office. However, Mr. Werikhe in contravention of the rules had stayed put as General Secretary even after being sworn in as Bubulo West legislator.

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Daniels N Tatya: Mr. Daniels N. Tatya is an affluent Sports Writer, Commentator and Editor. His over 15 years of covering almost major sporting events makes him a revered and an authority on investigative Sports journalism in Uganda. He can also be reached via [email protected] +256(0)758268315