By Patrick Kagenda
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards Executive Director could find himself out of office following a petition by a whistle blower claiming that Dr. Ben Manyindo wrongfully ascended to the regulatory body`s high office.
In the petition to the Inspector General of Government (IGG) dated August 5, 2013, copied to the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions , Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises, which The CEO Magazine has seen, the whistle blower alleges that following the termination of the contract of Dr. Terry Kahuma in October 2012 as Executive Director, the National Standards Council which is the apex authority at UNBS together with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Hon. Amelia Kyambadde, appointed Dr. Ben Manyindo as Executive Director in a manner devoid of proper procedure, diligence and fairness.
The petitioner says Dr. Ben Manyindo never went through the required set standards of competitive employment to the office of Executive Director; that includes applying for an advertised job and sitting for interviews.
According to standard practice in Uganda, people seeking to join government employment and especially heading statutory institutions like the UNBS, must meet certain criteria which include applying for an advertised vacancy in the institution as long as one has the required qualifications and experience and sitting for interviews before one is appointed to the office.
On the other hand, the UNBS Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual 2008 (as amended 2009) clearly provides under section 2.4.3. that “sourcing from within the institution shall only be done for levels below the head of department