The former Minister of Ethics and Integrity Miria Matembe has called upon government to reject ‘slavery’ that is allegedly being perpetuated by investors in Uganda.
“Our children are dehumanised and degraded in the Arab countries and now these investors are doing the same in our motherland. They get President Museveni easily and promise to invest in the country, however, they act in the opposite,” Ms Matembe.
Ms. Matembe was speaking at a forum at Human Rights House in Nsambya, convened by human rights activists from Foundation of Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) and Women’s Democracy Network, addressed by two victims of alleged assault, Jamira Opondo and Allen Nakityo.
Jamirah Opondo, a former employee of the AYA Group that runs the Hilton Hotel in the upscale Nakasero suburb, said her boss Muhammad Hamid used to harass her sexually and physically and also denied her payments.
George Musisi from the Legal Aid explained the progress on Jamirah Opondo’s case, whose files where opened up at Central Police Station (CPS) and Old Kampala Police Station, respectively.
Musisi said the case of salary arrears against the AYA Group is being handled by the KCCA labour offices, while the files from CPS and Old Kampala where merged for easy processing.
“Police requested for one week to have the file ready for the court process to begin,” Musisi said, adding: “in case the police fails to process the case to court we shall proceed to the courts of law without them.”
Earlier, Ms Opondo had told the activists that the police had wanted to thwart her case.
“I never got any assistance from the CPS police as bodyguards of Hamid were sent to look for me and the file nearly disappeared. We at the office already knew that CPS works for our (AYA) boss so my lawyer advised me to open up another case at old Kampala police station,” she said.
Further, she said that when the media published her story, the former Minister of State for labour Henry Kabafunzaki intervened.
“When the Red Pepper run my story I was invited by Hon Herbert Kabafunzaki; he told us that such issues are handled by his office and gave me an appointment on Monday. Unfortunately, he was arrested for bribery thus leaving our case unattended too,” she said.
On her part Nakityo said that while she worked at the Shell Jinja Road, her boss Bazil Noble sexually assaulted for about two years, and that after reporting the matter to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was intimidated and instead asked to name ‘her price’.
“When I opened up a case at SIU, I was asked for what I wanted to drop the case. I requested for 100 million as start up a new job; I was promised twenty million and forced to sign by the police lady but only five million was given to me,” Ms. Nakityo said, adding: “I wrote a resignation letter while being forced to settle the case amicably by recording a written agreement.”
According to Ms Nakityo, when she got stuck, she opened up a case at Nakawa court.
At first it was before magistrate Carol Rwagutaga, who later went on maternity when the case was still underway, before it was taken over by Chief Magistrate Sajjabi.
“We were called by Sajjabi who gave a ruling which was read by a different female magistrate and the case was dismissed,” Ms. Nakityo said, adding that her former boss usually taunted her with jibes that his lawyer studied with the magistrate.
“All I ask for is justice,” Ms Nakityo said before Ms Matembe and the Chairperson of UWONET Tezira Jamwa asked police to protect the women who had testified.
“Who is more important between the citizens and the investors like Hamid who was deported from Tanzania,” Ms. Jamwa wondered.
Perry Aritua from Women’s Democracy Network Uganda called for the passing of the sexual offenses bill, and also for the prioritization of workers’ rights.
Recently, minister Kabafunzaki was sacked by President Yoweri Museveni after he allegedly solicited a bribe from Mr. Hamid, and the former minister is currently facing corruption charges at the Anti-corruption Court in Kololo.
Meanwhile, by press time efforts to contact AYA boss Hamid on his known number mobile phone were futile.
