The Director for Communications and Public Affairs, Chris Obore has been sent on forced leave.
Jane Kibirige, the Clerk of Parliament wrote to Obore in a letter seen by theUgandan, noting that “I have been directed to inform you to take your accumulated leave with immediate effect.”
The letter was copied to the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah, Deputy Clerk Corporate Affairs, Henry Waiswa, and Deputy Clerk and also the Directors for Human Resource and Finance.
Sources familiar with fights at Parliament say Obore will only come back from leave if summoned.
Meanwhile, Obore’s lawyers have responded to Kibirige’s letter noting that the Public Service Standing Orders stipulate that a public servant must apply for leave within a given calendar year and failure to do so, he or she has to forfeit the days for leave not taken.
The Public Service Standing Orders provide that leave cannot be accumulated from one calendar year to another unless the public officer’s request to carry forward the leave was approved.
The Standing Orders provide that a public officer must have submitted a request to carry forward annual leave to the relevant offices for approval by 15th December.
In Obore’s case, the lawyers noted that this did not happen and therefore, it is illegal to send him on accumulated leave that he did not apply for by 15th December 2018.
Obore’s lawyers have also protested Kibirige’s decision amidst a pending petition in court.
In April, the High Court ruled that the imminent termination of Obore’s contract should be halted until the main petition is disposed of.
Obore’s troubles at Parliament
Obore’s troubles started in March when Kibirige notified Obore that the Inspectorate of Government had conducted investigations noting that his recruitment as the director communications and public affairs was founded on illegality because it contravened the Parliamentary Service (Staff) Regulations, 2001.
However, Obore through his lawyers, Kampala Associated Advocates applied for an injunction restraining the Parliamentary Commission from implementing the Clerk’s decision to terminate his employment until the matter is determined.
Obore was recruited on August 19, 2015 by the Parliamentary Service.