KCCA drivers seek permanent contracts

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Over 50 drivers working with Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA want the authority to award them long-term contracts.

For more than ten years, the drivers been operating on four months renewable contract which they say makes their future uncertain. Their current contracts expire on 31st October 2020 and they say they have not received any information of renewal. Usually, the renewal process starts in the third month of the contract.

Abdulwahab Sessanga, a roller truck driver in his 50s is worried that as he approaches old age, he might not have a job to sustain him. 

He asked the Director of Human Resource and Administration Grace Akullo and the Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka in a meeting Wednesday afternoon to give them permanent contracts for job security.

In July 2019, the drivers submitted documents to KCCA to be recruited on long term contract. At that time, KCCA had started the process of regularizing employment through the Public Service Commission.

The Authority had come under criticism from city political leaders for issuing short term contracts. At least 60% of over 1,000 staff of KCCA still operate on four-month contract.

Another driver, Faiswal Kakooza told the meeting that since July 2019, they haven’t received any feedback yet tension is mounting among them as rumors circulate that they might be fired and new drivers recruited.

Kakooza says lack of job security could affect performance of the drivers yet they are very instrumental in the service delivery of KCCA.

John Waswa Ssendi, also a driver says that many of them do not want to leave their jobs and asked the authority to keep the old drivers but not recruit new ones.

Apart from contracts, the drivers also asked for an increase in salary and allowances. The drivers earn Shillings 800,000.

John Gisa, a garbage truck driver in Makindye says since the Departure of the former Executive Director Jennifer Musisi in December 2018, they have not received over time allowance which ranged between Shillings 25,000 to 50,000. They were not given an explanation for that.

Ambulance drivers also sought a special allowance since they work 24 hours a day.

In response to their demands, the Director Human Resource and Administration Grace Akulo said they have written to the Public service Commission to start the process of recruiting drivers for the Authority.

She says however that candidates will be required to meet conditions set by the Commission. Akulo also says that they will also engage the commission on the issue of allowances.

The Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka reiterated her commitment to addressing the issues raised by drivers. She said job security and having the proper safety gear is very key to the achievement of KCCA’s five year Strategic Plan launched on Monday 29th September 2020.

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