About 29 lectures of Nkumba University have petitioned the Labour Court, challenging what they called unfair termination.
Led by Mr Joseph Kigguddu, the lecturers contend that on August 29, 2019, they reported for duty but were shocked by an invitation to the university secretary’s office, who informed them that the institution had terminated them with immediate effect.
“Shocked by this development, the claimants (lecturers), raised their objections to the impugned termination, which were ignored by the university secretary, who handed over termination letters to them, with directions that they acknowledge receipt of their letters and immediately hand over their respective offices,” reads in part court documents.
Further in their suit, the lecturers claim that they were never consulted or meaningfully engaged by management before reaching the decision.
“The respondents (university) did not offer any justifiable or reasonable explanations to the claimants in justification of the termination. The reasons and nature of the respondents’ restructuring process/ collective termination in justification of the ….termination,” the lecturers state.
Adding: “The termination contravened Sections 6 (1) and 73 (1)b of the Employment Act 2006, the respondents’ own Human Resources Manual, the claimants employment contracts and appointment letters.”
They also said the university management has since refused to compensate them for the unfair termination and also to pay for their services contrary to the law.
They also aver that because of the unfair dismissal, their families were irrationally denied a livelihood and have since been subjected to untold suffering, humiliation and mental anguish.
Through their lawyers of Maxim Advocates, the lecturers now want court to declare that their dismissal was unfairly done.
They also want the university to pay them damages, outstanding arrears and loans.
But Nkumba University contends that the lecturers have no singular nor joint cause of action against them as their claims arose from different contracts of employment.
The two parties (sacked lecturers and the university through its lawyers), met yesterday before Justice Linda Lillian Tusiime Mugisha, with the university requesting that the matter be sent for mediation.
The presiding judge did not object and gave the parties one month to settle their disputes and report back on November 23.
The judge warned that if there were no tangible results out of the mediation, she would hear the case and give her verdict.
Affected
The affected lecturers are Denis Bbaale, Francis Bogerere, William Bukenya, Raymond Buyinza, Aloysius Chiiza, Bernard Eceru, Dorothy Kakongoro Kabugo, Samuel Kalinge, David Christopher Kasasa, Monica Leah Kisakye, Sarah Mbeiza, Cissy Stella Mpimma and Patrick Mulindwa, Luke Musoke, Annet Nabiyika, Angella Nadongo, Christine Najjuma, Stella Nakazibwe, Hadijah, Dorothy Nsereko Namale, Juliet Nambalijwa, Judith Nangobe , Sarah Sserwabwe, James Ssebandeke, Juliet Rebecca Ssemmanda, Getrude Africa Tibakanya, Sunday Oloya and Stephen Mukomba.
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Daily Monitor
