The trade ministry permanent secretary, Geraldine Ssali, finds herself in yet another scandal after she, together with her bodyguard, allegedly assaulted the ministry’s senior legal officer, Sandra Aneno.
The fracas between Ssali and Aneno took place on Friday evening at the ministry’s head offices at Farmers’ House on Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala.
Ssali immediately interdicted Aneno, accusing her of unbecoming behaviour. Aneno reported the case at the Kampala Central Police Station.
Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the incident had been reported.
Aneno said she was receiving treatment following the assault. “I reported the matter on Friday evening and I was given medical forms to go to the Police doctor for examination.
I have also been to my doctor at Bugolobi for a scan. My back was paining and I couldn’t bend and they did some physiotherapy on it.
They also gave me some medicine,” she said.
When contacted, the trade minister, Francis Mwebesa, said: “The little I know is that the incident happened just as I was getting out of office and it was rather unfortunate.”
Efforts to reach Ssali via her known mobile telephone numbers were futile as she never answered our calls nor responded to messages.
However, an emissary who said he was speaking on behalf of Ssali confirmed that she had asked the trade ministry human resource officer to handle the matter.
But in a twist of events, Ssali, that Friday evening, interdicted Aneno from her job as a senior legal officer, instead alleging that she is the one who assaulted her first.
“As you are well aware, on Friday afternoon, in the execution of my duties as PS and accounting officer, while issuing you with instructions, you exhibited gross unbecoming behaviour such as using abusive language against me, assaulting, threatening me, throwing items at me and insubordination, which is irregular for a public officer of your calibre,” Ssali noted.
She noted: “Aneno’s actions were in total disregard of the provision of the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders 2021, Sections F-r Para 1, as laid out in Section F-r, Para 4 and 5 (a), (b), (c), (d) (e), (i), (k) and 7 (a); those actions constitute gross misconduct.”
Ssali added: “You are henceforth interdicted from duty with immediate effect in accordance with Section F-S para 14 of the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders 2021.”
Ssali said while Aneno is on interdiction, she will receive half pay, hand over office, will not leave the country without permission from the responsible officer, and will not appear in the office premises except if required on matters relating to the case.
Trade Ministry Speaks up
Management has been drawn to media reports about an incident that occurred on Friday the 5th April 2024 regarding an Errant Officer at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
The background to this matter is that Management took a decision to optimise work space and allocate sufficient space for the Incoming Hon. Minister of State for Trade and his staffers.
The Permanent Secretary leading a team made several visits to all floors of Farmers House to reorganise the additional space for the purpose.
In total of 6 offices, were identified as part of this reorganisation where some were being painted over the weekend, others were made empty with records having to be shifted off-site, and others with Ministry staff had to be relocated to other offices to create additional space.
These included all support staff like Drivers, Security personnel, cleaners and some Ministry staff.
All Staff affected complied without any challenges, except one staff; Ms Sandra Karyn Aneno, the Senior Legal Officer instead refused to comply and instead opted to use abusive language (profanities) against the 1nanage1nent team led by the Permanent Secretary in the midst of colleagues at work.
Ms. Sandra’s unnecessary aggression caused the Security team of the Permanent Secretary and that of the Ministry to restrain her from getting physical while unfortunately continuing to shout and insult the team head amidst the presence of colleagues.
Management later resolved to interdict the errant officer and have the matter comprehensively investigated
The Officer has instead resorted to using Media in an attempt to blackmail management in their quest to investigate the matter.
Therefore several media reports sadly including New Vision’s unresearched, reckless, sensational screaming headline purporting to create a narrative to enable the errant officer to deflect the true facts and escape investigation should be treated with the contempt they deserve.
The criminal aspects of the matter was immediately reported to the police by Management to handle.
There was no slapping involved at any one time and the NewVision publication and it’s readers is hereby notified on the same.
