By Our Reporter.
Workers Member of Parliament Hon Abdulhu Byakatonda the “Anchorman “ has withdrawn a donation he pledged of a brand new double cabin pickup each to National Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU) and Central Organization of Free Trade Unions (COTU).
He took the decision after carrying out extensive consultations with his campaign team and a cross section of trade union leaders.
The legislator said there is lack of guarantees and mechanism for managing the vehicles in organizing and recruitment. NOTU and COFTU also, lack reliable funding to pay drivers, fuel the pickups, maintain and service the vehicles.
Hon Byakatonda told the Workers Eye in an interview that there is a likelihood of NOTU and COFTU mismanging the vehicles and turning them into personal property.
“ There is every reason to believe leaders at the two centres would deny workers the right to mobilize and recruit workers using the vehicles,” he said.
But to make matters worse trade union leaders in both NOTU and COFTU are permanently embroiled in endless fights amongst themselves.
By the time Hon Byakatonda announced withdrawal of the double cabin pickups he had not yet handed over the vehicles to both NOTU and COFTU despite branding them with centre logos alongside his portrait.
But some labour unions have been fueling the vehicles and using them in upcountry mobilization, organizing and recruitment programmes.
The development comes when trade union leaders have been demanding that Hon Byakatonda hands over the vehicles to the two labour centres if they were their donations or scraps off the two federations’ logos.
In a twist of events the legislator decided last month to scrap off the logos and names of the two labour centres which generated controversy and a storm in the labour fraternity.
Hon Byakatonda made the pickups pledge to the two Labour centres during January 2021 campaigns .for workers MPs where he was elected. The other workers’ MPS elected are Hon Charles Bakkabulindi, Hon Margaret Rwabushaija Namubiru, Hon Arinaitwe Rwakajara and Female Workers MP Hon. Agnes Kunihira.
However after withdrawing his double cabin pickups donation workers have mixed reactions with some praising him for the right decision while others are castigating him for duping workers with empty promises.
Hon. Byakatonda unveiled two double cabin pick-ups July last year to support trade unions under NOTU and COFTU in strengthening organizing and recruitment campaigns. Workers applauded Hon Byakatonda for being a man of action and for delivering two double cabin pickups to workers which he promised during the 2021 election campaigns..
But some union leaders who sought anonymity have castigated Hon Byakatonda for taking workers for granted with “empty promises” which the MP later canceled before actualizing them into a reality.
A member of COFTU Executive Board said Hon Byakatonda did not donate any double cabin pickup since he flouted the procedures and spirit in effecting grants that are devoid of strings attached.
“When you make a donation and you do not attach any strings or strict guidelines on the recipients’ usage then the beneficiary is at liberty to use the grant as deemed fit and can never be judged as a failure before failure,” he said.
A senior trade unionist and a member on NOTU Executive board said one cannot claim to have donated a pickup to NOTU or COFTU when he is continuing to hold the vehicles..
“ The MP duped workers with claims of the pickups donation as he exploited public fame, positive political publicity and gained high esteem when in reality he donated nothing,” he said.
The Workers Eye interviewed a number of senior trade union leaders on Hon Byakatonda’s donated double cabin pickups. The four workers MPs plus Chairmen General and Secretary Generals of NOTU and COFTU declined to comment.
Ms. Jennifer Nassali
General Secretary, Horticulture Union.
Hon Byakatonda is very right 100 percent. All the reasons he has given are true. I’m sure if that vehicle was given to NOTU it would either be turned into a personal vehicle or it would be used by only selective unions.
Mr. Juma Mwamula
General Secretary, Uganda Private Teachers Union.
The earlier experiences we have seen donations of cars from ILO and other good samaritans given to the centres and they are personalized and mismanaged.
Mr. Tom Amiti
General Secretary, Uganda Electricity Union.
I have no comment except saying that those vehicles are for Hon. Abdulhu Byakatonda. He has the rights on them and it is frustrating to support people who are in fights all the time.
Mr Richard Bigirwa
General Secretary, Uganda Bakers union.
Let Hon Byakatonda form a joint committee of five people comprising both NOTU and COFTU to manage the fleet of his vehicles.
Mr. Emmanuel Katto
Deputy Chairperson Uganda Government and Allied Workers Union (UGAWU), Lawyer and trade unionist.
The objective of the donation was to help unions enhance their recruitment drives. Centers have never had a strategy to help affiliate unions on transport, hence the pickups never had a framework in which to belong at both centers.
My opinion is that in order to safeguard the vehicles Hon Byakatonda should have come up with his own initiative to lend out the vehicles to only those unions that plan out a recruitment drive. Such individual unions should have had a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the MP excluding centers.
For us as UGAWU we shall request for the vehicle, brand it with our logo plus wordings and move to the field to organize workers. It makes more sense moving out branded as UGAWU than being seen branded as NOTU or COFTU.
Hon Byakatonda came with a good heart with unique services. But it beats my understanding hearing that someone got salt and sand and poured it in one of the pickups engine.
Mr. Evans Kaganizo Mutesasira
President General Uganda Liberal Teachers Union (ULITU)
The issue of mismanagement of Labour Movement at Centres is not news. One wonders why these centres have for long not owned and managed immovable and movable durable property. I am informed that some time back Hon Arinaitwe Rwakajara bought a vehicle for NOTU . The vehicle was taken by one of the officials for personal use.
We wonder whether Hon Byakatonda’s pledge of the two double cabin pickups to the two centres was actually genuine. When he made the pledge he should have known well the people to whom he made the pledge.
At least for COFTU the pickup has never been delivered to the centre. We wonder whether the pickups donation was real or a mere political propaganda tool.
Ms. Counsel Robina Kagoye
Executive Director Voice For Labour, Lawyer and trade unionist.
I think this is prejudice on part of the Hon. Byakatonda. Yes the centers are weak and may have some ethical challenges but this doesn’t stop an MP from donating property to the centres for the benefit of their affiliates. The Hon. Mp should have donated and handed over the said vehicles to the centres with strict conditions through a memorandum of understanding to protect the property or vehicles from misuse.
In the said agreement, he could have even retained the right to sue for damages if the property is sold or misused. The fights and divisions within the labour fraternity or the centre should not stop assistance from well-wishers.
Mr. Robert Wanzusi Matukhu
General Secretary Uganda Infrastructure Union
First of all the idea of giving vehicles to both NOTU and COFTU was to me a misplaced priority considering the prevailing circumstances in the Ugandan Trade Union movement. He should re-examine his priorities so as to do something else that will not only create an impact but that will be sustainable. Giving such vehicles at a very early stage of his political career has silently been interpreted by his colleagues as an attempt to outshine them. It has also been interpreted as populist and done out of uncontrollable excitement.
The centre leaders are the ones to maintain and to manage the usage of those cars. Am certain they would even pack those cars just because of a tyre puncture and in a month or so those vehicles would be standing on stones.
If history is anything to go by, he should contacted Hon. Arinaitwe Rwakajara Katambuka for a two minutes piece of advice on the matter since he one time donated a vehicle to NOTU. The idea to withdraw those cars is well thought and he should engage his handlers to plan another approach ■
