The High Court in Gulu last Tuesday awarded former civil servants of Gulu district local government 1.8 billion shillings in gratuity, compensation and legal costs after they dragged the district to court over unfair dismissal from their employment in 2002. 

In 2003, over 80 Parish Chiefs dragged Gulu District Local Government to court over what they claimed as unwarranted dismissal from their duty.

 

Through their lawyer Amollo & Co. Advocates, the 86 former parish chiefs who hail from the districts of Gulu, Amuru and Nwoya before Amuru and Nwoya were curved out of Gulu demanded that they be compensated for the premature termination of their contracts.

 

After more than 8 years of waiting, Justice Remmy Kasule, the Gulu High court judge who was handling the matter finally ruled in favour of the parish chiefs ordering Gulu District Local Government to meet the legal cost incurred, gratuity and compensate them for the lost they suffered as a result of their contracts being prematurely terminated.

 

Omach Okwera, the Chairperson for the Association that brings together retired Parish Chiefs that work in the districts of Amuru and Nwoya that were formerly part of Gulu; says they are overjoyed with the court ruling.

 

Okwera who was the former Parish Chief of Owalo in Palaro Sub County says that it has been long and hard for most of them after being laid off, adding that some their collegues died before the final court ruling due to problems that they faced as a result of being jobless.

 

He said that since their prayers have finally been answered, although they went through tough times, they want the compensation payment to be speeded up so that they can begin to rebuild their lives.