The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has lodged a notice in the Court of Appeal expressing intent to challenge the High Court order to pay 200 million shillings to its Deputy Managing Director Geraldine Ssali.
On Tuesday this week, High Court Judge Steven Musota found NSSF, its board chairman Patrick Kaberenge and the Managing director Richard Byarugaba guilty of contempt of court orders that had halted Ssali’s forced leave.
The Judge also ordered that the trio pays a court fine of 50 million shillings for defying his orders.
In the notice to the Court of Appeal, dated June,2,2016, NSSF expressed intention to appeal the orders by the High Court.
Ssali had earlier dragged the 3 to court seeking to be compensated for stopping her from resuming her duties at the Fund, in disregard of a court order that was issued by Justice Musota reversing her suspension.
The court order now is being challenged not only by the NSSF management but also the National Organisation of the Trade Unions (NOTU) which has expressed alarm over the hefty award to Mrs. Ssali.
NOTU Chairperson Usher Wilson Owere described court’s decision to hand Ssali Shs 250m as damages as “the worst ruling the High court has ever made.”
Owere cautioned that “our hard earned money must be protected,” adding NSSF’s decision to appeal was a welcome gesture.
“The red line is now clearly drawn; we are going to crush anybody who allows our hard earned money to be taken by lawyers. For Ssali this is suicidal,” he charged.
The case has since been referred to a mediator to have it amicably settled.