Africa-Press – Uganda. Following yesterday’s fatal shooting of the State Minister for Labour, some drivers and bodyguards of senior public officials, have spoken out against the way some of their bosses treat them while on duty.
However, others also appreciated that some bosses are caring and have, from time to time, pitched in to help their drivers and guards sort out personal problems, including with financial difficulties.
Whereas some of those this newspaper interviewed yesterday vouched for their bosses for the good care and treatment accorded to them, many of those who were interviewed from different parts of the city, complained of mistreatment.
A number of them accused some of their bosses of starving them, while others complained of being forced to work beyond official hours without being paid overtime allowances.
One of the drivers working with the Uganda Land Commission, who asked not to be named in order to speak freely and for fear of reprimand, warned that the gunning down of the minister could set a dangerous precedent.
Overworked
“I am officially supposed to report to work at 8am and retire at 5pm. But the boss tells you to pick children and drop them at school at 6am and you pick them at 6pm. When you go upcountry, the boss signs for your allowance but he cannot give you,” he said.
Mr Sulaiman Lutwama, a tour and travel operator, apportioned blame to both the bosses and drivers, saying whereas the latter are supposed to respect their bosses, some of them want to be bosses.
“Because of poor pay, these drivers also engage in vices such as stealing fuel and refusing to pick fuel receipts from gas stations,” Mr Lutwama said.
A police officer guarding one of Kampala’s resident city commissioners said of the four bosses he has guarded so far, only the current one has treated him well.
He explained that some of his previous bosses were heartless to the extent that sometimes he would work till late in the night and return the boss home without any allowance or anything to take for his family.
Another driver, who also preferred anonymity especially because his boss is a senior civil servant in a government security agency, however, said his boss is respectful. The boss, he said, strictly uses him between 8am and 5:30pm.
He said whenever he works overtime, the boss hands him an extra Shs50,000 and even picks his medical bills on occasion.
Asked what he thinks of the way bosses treat their drivers, Mr Walukaga Buyondo, a driver who provides transport services at Kampala Serena Hotel parking, said most times he sympathises with drivers.
“You find a driver dropping off the boss who enters the hotel and spends the whole day there. The driver remains in the car very hungry, he hasn’t eaten anything and yet he is expected to drive the boss upcountry,” he said.
He observed that sometimes it feels as though bosses do not think drivers are human beings who deserve to be treated as such and sometimes that is what leads to accidents on the road.
Well treated
Mr Benjamin Ocircean, a driver from Nabilatuk driving a boss working at the Office of the Prime Minister, said his boss treats him well.
Whenever they are out of station say for two days, even if they return to the district before the days elapse, Ocircean said he is paid his full out of station allowances.
Even when he has challenges and needs a salary advance, he gets it in time. Recently, when he lost a relative, the boss offered him a vehicle and fuelled it to transport mourners for burial.
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