Jinja, Uganda | URN | George Muyomba, a security guard attached to Pan African Carriers Uganda-Limited, a security firm guarding Southern Range Nyanza Textile Industry in Njeru was dismissed from the job after instructing the factory’s General Manager, Vinay Kumar to wear a face mask.
According to the termination letter dated May 19, 2020, and signed by the factory’s human resource manager, Joanitah Nakawesi, Muyomba is accused of insubordination and selective enforcement of guidelines on face masks.
“You locked out the General Manager outside the entry gate while he was reporting for duty on May 6, 2020 claiming that he had not put on a face mask. The General manager requested you to allow him entry and you sort out the matter while he was inside the factory premises but you were adamant, this is insubordination,” reads the letter.
The letter indicated that although the guard was advised to ensure that all staff wear face masks while reporting for duty, he seemingly targeted the Indian managers and had leniency for others workers who accessed the factory without masks.
Ironically, NYTIL is one of the firms contracted by the government to manufacture face masks that will be distributed to Ugandans after the president announced that face masks will now be mandatory.
Muyomba says that his employer had resolved to deploy him in another unit, away from the gates for a period of one week. However, Kumar ordered for his instant dismissal as soon as he sighted him.
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Kumar declined to respond to our repeated calls by press time. However, the factory’s corporate Affairs Manager Jimmy Mutesasira downplayed the reports saying that the news of the termination is circulated by competitors in the textile industry.
“Ever since the president started endorsing Nytil as the leading producer of quality face masks in his different televised address, mafias started plotting against us, they are actually the ones responsible for misleading Muyomba,” he says.
