The Chairperson of the Council overseeing the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Mr. Charles Musekuura, has been removed from his position by Trade Minister Francis Mwebesa. The decision to terminate Mr. Musekuura’s services was conveyed in a letter dated October 11. Eng James Kalibbala, a council member, has been appointed as the acting chairman in the interim, pending Cabinet’s selection of a permanent replacement. This transition is expected to be carried out with immediate effect.
The Council also comprises other members, including Dr. Tom Okia, Mr. Alfred Oyo Andima, Mr. Robert Mwanje, Ms. Pamella Achii, ICT Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Mr. Omar Mohammed, Ms. Sarah Walusimbi, and Mr. Daniel Nangalama (as an ex-officio member). Their tenures will continue until the completion of their three-year mandates.
The exact reason for the dismissal was not provided in the termination letter. Minister Mwebesa, in his letter, cited his authority as granted by the Constitution, without specifying the applicable provision(s). A separate letter introducing Eng Kalibbala as the acting chairman referred to Section 5(1) of the UNBS Act.
The UNBS is under the purview of the Trade minister, who has the authority to appoint members and the chairperson of the National Standards Council. However, Mr. Musekuura has raised concerns about the legality of the appointment of an acting chairperson, claiming that the UNBS Act only defines the position of chairperson and does not account for an acting chairperson. He described the situation as handing over to an “imposter.”
Mr. Musekuura is currently evaluating his options, and he stressed the importance of adhering to the principles of natural justice, emphasizing that even a gardener would be informed of the reason for their dismissal. He stated that firing the chairperson of a statutory regulator without providing a reason and without a fair hearing goes against established procedures.
As of the latest available information, Mr. Musekuura’s position as the chairman of the UNBS Council remains unchanged on the UNBS website, despite the minister’s directive to effect an immediate handover.
Minister Mwebesa declined to disclose the specific reason for Mr. Musekuura’s dismissal and indicated that he could not provide such details in a telephone conversation.
This decision to remove the chairperson follows the suspension of the former UNBS Executive Director, Mr. Livingstone Ebiru, by the same minister approximately seven weeks earlier. The suspension came after Mr. Ebiru made allegations before a parliamentary committee that he paid Shs100 million to Council chairman Musekuura, through an intermediary, to retain his position. Although Mr. Ebiru later retracted his claim, he remains under investigation, and a pending case has been filed against him.
