Betty Amongi, the Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, has named Patrick M Ayota as the new Managing Director of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Ayota has been acting in the same position for eight months, as well as serving as Deputy Managing Director since December 2017.
Ayota who is seen as steering the fund’s wheel to stability was endorsed by the NSSF Board of Directors to the Minister, based on Sections 39 and 40 of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Act.
This appointment comes amidst controversies and drama between the Minister and former MD Richard Byarugaba.
Byarugaba recently filed a petition against the decision not to renew his contract, accusing the Minister of influencing it. However, Amongi cited his age beyond 60as a reason for not reappointing him and instead put Ayota in the acting capacity.
Byarugaba was MD to the position twice, from 2010 to 2013 and 2017 to 2022.
Meanwhile, the workers’ union movement chaired by Wilson Owere is opposed to the development. Owere who remains at loggerheads with Amongi alleged that the Minister wielded undue influence over the fund’s budget, including a 6 billion shillings allocation to herself.
In 2010 Ayota left the then Barclays Bank and was hired by the NSSF Uganda, as the Chief Finance Officer. In a search for new top management at NSSF Uganda, in June 2014, Ayota scored the highest marks for Deputy Managing Director.
However, with the intervention of president Yoweri Museveni, a different top team was hired and Ayota remained Head of Finance at the institution. In October 2017, further changes were made to the NSSF Board and Ayota was named as substantive Deputy Managing Director.