Uganda Case Law

Odora and 2 Others v Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017)

Odora and 2 Others v Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017) [2025] UGIC 21 (24 February 2025)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017

Judge

Tumusiime-Mugisha, J, Mugambwa, Panel Member, Mubuuke, Panel Member, Ebyau, Panel Member

The court found that the claimant's early retirement was based on medical grounds due to a degenerative back condition, and the respondent accepted her retirement without offering alternative light work or awaiting the independent medical report. The respondent's argument that the claimant was not entitled to severance pay because she retired before the independent report was rejected, as the respondent had the obligation to act on the initial medical findings or provide alternative work. The court held that the claimant was entitled to severance pay under both the Employment Act and the resp…

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• Severance Pay
• Early Retirement
• Pension Fund Contributions
• Repatriation Allowance
• Salary Arrears
• General Damages

Odora and 2 Others v Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017)

Odora and 2 Others v Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017) [2025] UGIC 22 (24 February 2025)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017

Judge

Tumusiime-Mugisha, J, Mugambwa, Panel Member, Mubuuke, Panel Member, Ebyau, Panel Member

The court found that the claimant's early retirement was medically justified and not due to willful misconduct. The respondent's failure to provide alternative light work or timely independent medical evaluation did not preclude the claimant's entitlement to severance pay under both the Employment Act and the respondent's own policy. The collective bargaining agreement did not apply to the claimant as a manager, so the court adopted the judicially established formula of one month's salary per year of service. The respondent's deduction of 2% from pension contributions for administrative costs…

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• Severance Pay
• Early Retirement
• Pension Fund Contributions
• Repatriation Allowance
• Salary Arrears
• General Damages

Odora and 2 Others v Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017)

Odora and 2 Others v Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017) [2025] UGIC 23 (24 February 2025)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference 33 of 2017

Judge

Tumusiime-Mugisha, J, Mugambwa, Panel Member, Mubuuke, Panel Member, Ebyau, Panel Member

The court found that the claimant was entitled to severance pay upon early retirement on medical grounds, as her incapacity was not due to willful misconduct and the respondent failed to offer her alternative lighter work. The respondent's reliance on a delayed independent medical report did not preclude the claimant's entitlement, as the respondent accepted her retirement based on the initial medical report. The collective bargaining agreement did not apply to the claimant as a manager, so the court adopted a formula of one month's salary per year of service, awarding severance pay according…

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• Severance Pay
• Early Retirement
• Pension Contributions
• Repatriation Allowance
• Salary Arrears
• General Damages

Kiyiwa and 13 Others v Makerere University (Labour Dispute Reference 121 of 2015)

Kiyiwa and 13 Others v Makerere University (Labour Dispute Reference 121 of 2015) [2024] UGIC 61 (23 August 2024)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference 121 of 2015

Judge

Tumusiime-Mugisha, J, Mugambwa, Panel Member, Mubuuke, Panel Member, Ebyau, Panel Member

The Industrial Court held that Makerere University unlawfully redesigned kitchen staff to cleaners, amounting to constructive dismissal and breach of contract.

• Constructive Dismissal
• Unilateral Variation Of Contract
• Legitimate Expectation
• Severance Pay
• Repatriation Allowance
• Notice Pay

Rosset Mugoya v Board of Governors, Nabumali High School (Labour Dispute Reference No. 005 of 2022)

Rosset Mugoya v Board of Governors, Nabumali High School (Labour Dispute Reference No. 005 of 2022) [2024] UGIC 84 (27 June 2024)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference No. 005 of 2022

Judge

Tumusiime-Mugisha, J, Wacha, Panel Member, Mugambwa, Panel Member, Gidongo, Panel Member

The Industrial Court held that the claimant was a permanent employee, found her termination unlawful for lack of notice and hearing, and awarded damages and severance.

• Unlawful Termination
• Permanent Employment
• Severance Pay
• Repatriation Allowance
• General Damages
• Unlawful-termination

Mugoya v Board of Governors Nabumali High School (Labour Dispute Reference 5 of 2022)

Mugoya v Board of Governors Nabumali High School (Labour Dispute Reference 5 of 2022) [2024] UGIC 8 (27 June 2024)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference 5 of 2022

Judge

Tumusiime-Mugisha, J, Wacha, Panel Member, Mugambwa, Panel Member, Gidongo, Panel Member

The Industrial Court held that a school storekeeper’s employment was permanent, not contractual, and that her termination without hearing was unlawful.

• Unlawful Termination
• Permanent Vs Contractual Employment
• Severance Pay
• Repatriation Allowance
• General Damages
• Unlawful-termination

Uganda Hotels, Food, Tourism and Allied Workers and Another v s Sports View Hotel Kireka Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 271 of 2019)

Uganda Hotels, Food, Tourism and Allied Workers and Another v s Sports View Hotel Kireka Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 271 of 2019) [2023] UGIC 127 (23 August 2023)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference 271 of 2019

Judge

Tumusiime-Mugisha, J, Mugambwa, Panel Member, Ebyau, Panel Member, Mubuuke, Panel Member

The Industrial Court held that Sports View Hotel unlawfully terminated a unionised employee during redundancy and ordered notice pay, severance, repatriation, damages, service certificate, and costs.

• Unfair Termination
• Redundancy Procedure
• Collective Bargaining Agreement
• Severance Pay
• Repatriation Allowance
• General Damages

Kabagambe v Post Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 107 of 2020)

Kabagambe v Post Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 107 of 2020) [2023] UGIC 20 (16 August 2023)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference 107 of 2020

Judges

Wabwire Musana, J, Namara, Panel Member, Nabirye, Matovu

The Court found that while the Respondent had substantive grounds to believe the Claimant committed misconduct, the disciplinary process was procedurally unfair. The notice to the Claimant did not specify his rights at the hearing, such as the right to representation or to cross-examine witnesses, nor did it provide sufficient details of the allegations or attach the audit report. The failure to provide these procedural safeguards violated Section 66 of the Employment Act and established case law, rendering the dismissal unfair and unlawful. The Court held that both procedural and substantive…

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• Unfair Dismissal
• Procedural Fairness
• Disciplinary Hearing
• Severance Pay
• Repatriation Allowance

Kabagambe v Post Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 107 of 2020)

Kabagambe v Post Bank Uganda Limited (Labour Dispute Reference 107 of 2020) [2023] UGIC 50 (16 August 2023)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference 107 of 2020

Judge

Wabwire, J, Namara, Panel Member, Nabirye, Panel Member, Matovu, Panel Member

The court found that while the Respondent had substantive grounds for dismissal, the disciplinary process was procedurally deficient. The notice to the Claimant failed to explicitly state his rights at the hearing, such as the right to be accompanied or to cross-examine witnesses, and did not provide the investigation report prior to the hearing. These omissions breached the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness as required by Section 66 of the Employment Act and established case law. The court held that procedural and substantive fairness are twin tenets, and the absence of p…

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• Unfair Dismissal
• Procedural Fairness
• Substantive Fairness
• Severance Pay
• Repatriation Allowance

Kimuli v Sanyu FM 2000 Ltd (Labour Dispute Reference No. 126 of 2015)

Kimuli v Sanyu FM 2000 Ltd (Labour Dispute Reference No. 126 of 2015) [2019] UGIC 3 (15 March 2019)

Court

Industrial Court of Uganda

Case number

Labour Dispute Reference No. 126 of 2015

The Industrial Court held that Ben Kimuli’s termination by Sanyu FM 2000 Ltd. was unfair because restructuring was not handled with prior notice or procedural fairness.

• Unfair Termination
• Restructuring
• Notice Period
• Severance Pay
• Repatriation Allowance
• Unfair-termination