Uwimana Fortunee was dismissed from her job as Human Resource Coordinator in RAB formerly ISAR. The Public Service Commission, Ombudsman and Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs have all instructed that she be reinstated to her job but nothing has been done.
A former employee of Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda (ISAR) says the Prime Minister has been a victim of misinformation presented to him about circumstances that led to her dismissal from her job.
Uwimana Fortunee was serving as a Human Resource Coordinator at ISAR that later changed to Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB). She accuses Angelina Muganza the permanent secretary of the Public Service Commission (PSC) of being double faced, covering up her failures and shielding the RAB management.
What started as a study trip to the United Kingdom in 2007, ended in a prolonged struggle for Uwimana Fortunee’s rights.
Uwimana believes that the truth one day will triumph over systematic lies that were used to frame her and eventually got kicked out of her lucrative job as Human Resource Coordinator (ISAR).
IGIHE met Uwimana and held a lengthy conversation about her case she considers as a form of Injustice that should be fought by all means.
In this conversation Uwimana reveals that the Prime Minister didn’t not read most of the recommendations in letters copied to him about her case that has dragged on for eight years and consequently he made decisions based on lies presented to him.
She also says, the Prime Minister should have talked to right people (lower staff) in the Public service commission to brief him on the nature of her case because they investigated her case in ISAR that later changed to RAB.
How it Started
In September 2005, Uwimana Fortunee was successfully recruited as Human Resource Coordinator into (ISAR) Rwanda Agricultural Research Institute (according to appointment letter No 2.10/534/005/M.C.B/n.j.).
During this period, ISAR introduced a Capacity Building program for its employees and Uwimana was to later be sent to the United Kingdom to enhance her English Language skills at Impact International College in Berkshire, UK. Other staff members were too sent to different institutions to enhance their skills.
ISAR found it necessary to improve the English language skills among its employees arguing that most of the institute partners were English speakers.
On 6-March-2007, in a letter No 2.10/223/007/M.C.B/m.a, Uwimana was recommended by ISAR as required to process for her VISA to the United Kingdom and that the candidate would return to her position upon completion of her studies.
Uwimana successfully obtained the VISA and travelled to start her studies at Impact International College. Under the capacity Building program, ISAR would pay for all expenses for Uwimana during her studies in the UK.
Uwimana at college in UK
While Uwimana was less than halfway with her studies, the head of ISAR then Dr. Cyubahiro Bagabe Mark travelled to the UK on private dealings but also paid a visit to Uwimana at the college.
Uwimana told IGIHE that when Dr. Cyubahiro met her at college, he told her that he was in need of some money to settle a few private issues in the UK. Dr. Cyubahiro promised that he would refund the money to Uwimana immediately after his return to Rwanda.
Uwimana told IGIHE that she couldn’t resist lending her boss the money because he knew she had the money and didn’t suspect that he would fault on refunding the money upon returning to Rwanda.
According to Uwimana, she withdrew money from her UK account and handed some of the money to Dr.Cyubahiro.
However, later her boss needed more and this prompted Uwimana to condition her boss that she would only transfer money to his account in the UK and not delivering it by hand to him.
Dr. Cyubahiro provided his account onto which Uwimana transferred the money and she remained with bank slips indicating the transfer transaction.
Until today Uwimana has kept the UK bank documents which clearly show there was transfer of the money to her Boss’ account.
However, upon Retrun to Rwanda, Dr. Cyubahiro didn’t honour his promise of refunding the money to Uwimana. She had to solicit for support funds from her family.
Uwimana didn’t successfully complete her studies as she was recalled back to her duty station in Rwanda. Her impromptu return to Rwanda was effected after recommendations from the ISAR management meeting held on 3-May-2007 and chaired by Dr. Daphrose Gahakwa as detailed in document with Ref: C.A/ISAR/03/05/2007.
While in Rwanda, Uwimana contacted her former Boss to refund the money but all was in vain. This Prompted Uwimana to write to the Ombudmans office requesting that she be assisted in asking Dr. Cyubahiro refunds the money.
ISAR management also accused Uwimana of unnecessarily awarding herself the study trip and taking part in issuing Frw12,436,367 to cover her studies and therefore in a letter Ref: No C.A/ISAR/04/05/2007 Uwimana was requested to refund the money to the institution.
Uwimana argues that since she didn’t complete her studies, she needed to account for the un-used money and she didn’t want to wait for ISAR to push her to refund.
She wanted to refund the money and resume her usual duties as Human Resource Coordinator. By this time Dr. Cyubahiro had been removed from his job as Director of the institution before he had refunded the money back to Uwimana.
Before Dr. Cyubahiro had been removed from the institution, Uwimana claims she had been systematically harassed by her boss just because he didn’t want to be reminded to refund the money. Uwimana says Dr. Cyubahiro at this time never allowed meeting her.
After some time, ISAR management on 07-02-2011 wrote to Uwimana in a letter Ref: No 2.10/101/011/D.G/u.d requesting her to refund Frw12,436,367 that she had used while on study trip in the UK.
ISAR Changes to RAB
Rwanda Agricultural Research Institute (ISAR) later changed to Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB)
During the changes, which saw the dropping of ISAR and forming of a new institution RAB, Uwimana’s position was removed from the new organisation structure and she was left Jobless.
She later wrote to the Public Service Commission inquiring about why she had been rendered redundant since her position as Human Resource coordinator had not been catered for under new changes.
The Public Service Commission wrote in a letter Ref: 709/ED7&CR/11/22/062011 instructing RAB to reinstate Uwimana to her position as Human Resource coordinator.
The Commission as well instructed RAB to provide all the requirements she is entitled to according to the law and fitting her standard.
However, Prof. Martin Shem Ndabikunze the Director General of RAB responded to the Public Service Commission in a letter Ref: No 01.11/610/011/SMN/HQ saying; RAB was willing to reinstate Uwimana but there was no right position for her under the new organisation structure established on April-20-2011.
In this letter Prof. Ndabikunze reminded the Public Service Commission not to forget about Uwimana’s negative attitude towards her previous superiors at ISAR.
Uwimana Seeks Redress
While still working at ISAR, Uwimana says she survived several attempts from her superiors to have her ejected from her job and this was coupled by endless harassments both while on duty and maternity leave, illegally transferred to other branches of the same organisation, demotion and reducing her monthly salary.
When Uwimana was expecting her child, she was suddenly transferred to another duty station very far away from her home. However, she courageously managed to execute her duties at her new duty station.
Uwimana says that while she was on maternity leave, her boss continued to write several letters asking her to explain work related matters on a daily basis. This went on until Uwimana could no longer accept anymore letters from her employer.
After maternity leave, Uwimana returned to work and in a letter dated 27-12-2010, wrote to the Public Service Commission contesting her illegal transfer and demotion.
Angelina Muganza, the permanent Secretary in the Public Service Commission responded to Uwimana in a letter ref: No: 204/ED&CR/11 informing Uwimana that ISAR management had been instructed to reinstate her into the institution to a job position of level of 4 II fitting her qualification and or ISAR to temporarily provide her with benefits of a staff of the 4II level.
Uwimana Dismissed from her Job
According to Uwimana, in one incidence at ISAR, there had been money from donors that had not been utilised and this prompted some of her superiors to instruct her to use the money and ‘Top-Up’ their salaries and this would be referred to as ‘top-up’.
However, Uwimana explained to her superiors about this move advising them that it was against the law and that she would not implement their demands as Human Resource Coordinator.
Uwimana says she was later ordered to make a list and ensure that the top up money is shared. Uwimana asked the superiors to write a letter requesting for the ‘Top-Up’ and later she made a list of employees but excluded herself from this list saying she very well knew it flouted the law.
An independent audit conducted a team from the Public Service Commission discovered that there had been illegal ‘Top-Up’ of salaries of some ISAR employees.
When ISAR management learnt that ‘Top-Up’ scam had been backfired and rendered illegal, Uwimana was accused by her superiors of exposing them and this prompted the ISAR boss to write a letter to RAB requesting for the termination of Uwimana’s contract claiming she had defamed ISAR management and that she didn’t advise ISAR management on the ‘Top-Up’ issue.
However, Angelina Muganza of the Public service Commission informed ISAR that an independent audit had found that Uwimana had actually advised management on the ‘Top-Up’ issue in a letter dated 15-March-2011. But the ISAR management responded to Uwimana’s advice with a warning letter and proposed punishment.
The Public Service Commission found Uwimana not guilty of any misconduct and advised ISAR to collaborate with Ministry of Finance, MIFOTRA and other line institutions to help them on learning how to deal with salaries of employees.
Uwimana was fired on 01-01-2012 and a letter terminating her contract was written on this date ref: No 01.11/102/011/MSN/HQ signed by Prof. Martin Shem Ndabikunze.
However, quite bizarre is what could have happened between the period when the sacking letter was written and the time the letter was delivered to Uwimana.
According to the sacking letter, Uwimana signed to have received the letter about two months later on 27-04-2012.
Also quite ambiguous is that according to Prof. Martin Shem Ndabikunze the Director General, he had temporarily dismissed Uwimana on 18/07/2011 in a letter ref: No 01.11/0483/011/MSN/HQ saying that Uwimana had been redundant since 01-07-2011 and that RAB couldn’t find her another job within the specified period as required by law.
The RAB director general based the sacking of Uwimana on the public servants law no22/2002 of 09/07/2002 (68(3) and 120 (6)).
Prime Minister was Presented With Lies
On 27 -06-2013 a meeting was held to present to the Prime Minister and Public Service Commission the cases of three public servants including; Uwamahoro Cissy (RBS), Uwimana Fortunee (RAB) and Umwizerwa Eugenie (MINISPOC).
Present in the meeting included; representatives from PRIMATURE, MINICAAF, MINICOM, MIFOTRA, MINIJUST, MINAGRI, MINISPOC and RGB, RBS,RAB.
In his opening remarks during this meeting, the Prime minister Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi reminded leaders present to properly treat public servants and avoid unjust acts against the public servants but ensure respect of the law in situations where a public servant commits mistakes.
The Prime Minister also cautioned different institutions to respect recommendations that are delivered by line institutions and always implement them without any hindrances.
On the issue of Uwimana Fortunee, the Prime Minsiter was given the details of the case and its current situation as of today. It was noted that Uwimana had denied herself a chance to be given justice because when she was suspended from her position she didn’t not appeal.
It was argued that when ISAR switched to RAB, Uwimana remained redundant with no job and that after sometime RAB management ruled that Uwimana be dismissed and given all terminal benefits.
The presenter argued that Uwimana should have repealed the ruling and would have been offered another Job fitting her level. Therefore since she didn’t repeal, she cannot be reinstated back into RAB arguing that technically due to the time that has elapsed since her sacking, she can’t be reinstated into RAB.
However, Uwimana argues that when ISAR acted inappropriately towards her, she appealed to the Public service commission PSC which ruled that Uwimana be reinstated to her Job.
However, the ruling was made after ISAR changed into RAB and the decision was made by Daphrose Gahakwa while Uwimana was on a maternity leave.
Uwimana Reacts to Prime Ministers meeting held on 27-June 2013
She says the Permananent Secretary in the Public Service Commission responsible for solving most challenges faced by public servants actually lied about her case to the Prime minister.
The permanent secretary of PSC double faced presentations misled the Prime Minister and officials attending the meeting and this eventually affected the kind of decisions made on particular cases especially hers.
Uwimana argues that she should have been given a chance to explain her case to the Prime Minister and not listening to one version of the PSC Permanent secretary.
She also argues that she wasn’t informed of the outcome of this meeting and wasn’t requested for her opinion. She says this is technically wrong and will not solve several injustices within government institutions.
She explains that the meeting was aimed at discussing three cases including ; Uwamahoro Cissy (RBS), Uwimana Fortunee (RAB) and Umwizerwa Eugenie (MINISPOC). Why didn’t the Prime Minister invite us to present our versions?
Uwimana also explains that during this meeting in which MINAGRI was represented by Ruzindaza Ernest the former Permanaent secretary in the ministry.
She says Ruzindaza and Angelina Muganza lied to the prime minister about her case adding that her removal from office was done in contravention of the law.
According to PSC meetings held on 22/06/2011, and 25/07/2012, Uwimana argues that it was recommended that MINAGRI/RAB reinstate her to the job without any hindrances. However, RAB didn’t respect and implement the recommendations but continued to inflict more injustices to her.
Uwimana wonders whether the prime minister didn’t receive copies of all letters on her case yet on most letters the Prime Ministers office received a copy.
Also Uwimana wonders why Angelina Muganza who had in several letters instructed RAB to reinstate her to her job now makes a U-turn before the Prime minister to state that Uwimana denied herself a chance.
Uwimana says the actions of Angelina Muganza before the prime minister indicate that she didn’t want to expose her faults of not making a follow up on recommendations she had previously made about the case of Uwimana.
As technically in charge of monitoring and evaluation, Angelina Muganza seems to have been intent on shielding RAB management and MINAGRI probably for personal gains.
Uwimana also argues that during this meeting, the Prime Minister ordered out of the meeting lower officials from the Public Service Commission yet they had reliable information about her case since they investigated it for a long time.
Ombudsman Intervenes
Uwimana had petitioned the Ombudsman to intervene in this matter and recently she was informed that the Ombudsman had written to the Prime Ministers recommending that Uwimana be reinstated to her previous Job in the Rwanda Agriculture Board arguing that the circumstances and reasons of her dismissal were unlawful and not satisfactory to render her jobless.
Recently the Minister of Agriculture Dr. Agnes Kalibata appeared before the Parliamentary committee on social affairs during which she was requested to brief the committee on the several issues in her Ministry including the case of Uwimana.
A source who attended the meeting said Dr. Kalibata acknowledged that Uwimana had been wrongfully dismissed.
However, by press time efforts to reach Dr. Kalibata for a comment were fruitless as she was already out of the country and the Ministers personal assistant said she didn’t attend the parliamentary session and refered this reporter to RAB.
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