Industrial Court of Uganda

The Industrial Court was established under the Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act, 2006 Cap 224, Laws of Uganda, and section 7.  2006.

The Act was assentenced to on 24th May 2006; and commenced on the 07th August 2006 via a Ministerial statutory instrument.

The Court's jurisdiction ambit are labour disputes referred to it by a party to a dispute where a labour officer has failed to dispose of the dispute within 08 weeks under the court's regulations as requested under the act, disputes referred by the Labour officer at the request of the party or on the officer's own volition when is unable to resolve the dispute; or by responsible Minister on notice of an intended withdrawal of labour within 05 days. Appeals can also be filed against labour officers' decision under the Employment Act. The Court has no original jurisdiction over Labour disputes.

 

Physical address
Plot 25-27, off Martyr's way Ntinda. P.O.Box, 21456 Kampala.
20 judgments
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20 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
March 2022
25 March 2022
Unlawful dismissal where a branch manager reasonably relied on supervisory/executive confirmation before processing a fraudulent IAT.
Labour law — unfair dismissal; bank manager's fiduciary duty; reasonableness of reliance on supervisory/executive confirmation in processing IATs; procedural fairness of disciplinary hearing; remedies — severance, general damages, interest; repatriation and salary-loan recovery requirements.
25 March 2022
Claimant unfairly dismissed for poor performance; entitled to pro rata salary, notice, severance and general damages; loan and NSSF claims denied.
Labour law – unfair dismissal – procedural fairness and right to a hearing (Employment Act s66; Constitution Art 28) – remedies: unpaid salary pro rata, notice pay, severance (s87), general damages – NSSF claims require proof – employer liability for employee loans depends on clear, express guarantee in loan documents/undertakings.
24 March 2022
Claimant unfairly dismissed for alleged poor performance without hearing; awarded salary, notice, severance and general damages.
Employment law – unfair/summary dismissal – procedural fairness – failure to hold disciplinary hearing (Section 66 Employment Act) – remedies: unpaid salary, notice in lieu, severance, general damages – NSSF remittances and employer liability for salary loan require proof – aggravated damages and costs discretionary.
24 March 2022
Late service of witness statements in a time‑bound session warranted adjournment; powers of attorney impliedly permit instructing counsel.
Labour law — procedural compliance in time‑bound sessions; late service of witness statements — prejudice and adjournment; scheduling memorandum — applicant to initiate but respondent may prepare; power of attorney — strict construction but includes implied authority to engage counsel; extension of time — requires sufficient cause.
23 March 2022
A conditional stay was granted pending appeal, ordering a 400,000,000 cash deposit or bank guarantee to secure due performance.
• Civil procedure – Stay of execution pending appeal – conditions for grant (risk of substantial loss, absence of unreasonable delay, provision of security). • Appeal – Arguable point of law (interpretation of "continuous service") justifying further judicial consideration. • Procedure – Requirement of security (cash or bank guarantee) pending appeal; reliance on Order 43(4)(3) and Kyazze precedent. • Evidentiary – Late affidavit in reply not determinative where another timely affidavit deposes to same facts.
21 March 2022
Stay of execution granted pending appeal provided applicant deposits UGX 400,000,000 or a bank guarantee as security.
Civil procedure – Stay of execution – Whether to grant stay pending appeal – Conditions for stay including risk of loss, delay, and security. Evidence – Affidavits – Effect of late affidavit where another timely affidavit deposes to same facts. Labour law – Interpretation of "continuous service" as an arguable ground of appeal. Security – Court power to order deposit or bank guarantee to secure due performance pending appeal.
21 March 2022
Prolonged suspension beyond statutory period converted to termination; substantive misconduct justified dismissal but procedural failures rendered it unfair.
Employment law – suspension pending inquiry – statutory four-week limit under s.63(2); suspension exceeding four weeks without communication may amount to termination; substantive justification for dismissal where employee procures/records transactions outside authority; failure to afford pre-dismissal explanation and hearing under s.66 renders dismissal procedurally unfair.
18 March 2022
Failure to refer a labour dispute to the internal Staff Appeals Tribunal was an error on the face of the record; matter referred.
Administrative law – exhaustion of internal remedies – labour disputes – preliminary objection – error on the face of the record – referral to Staff Appeals Tribunal versus dismissal.
18 March 2022
Stay of execution refused because the applicant had no right of further appeal; Industrial Court decisions are final under the Employment Act.
Labour law – stay of execution – pending appeal – whether a right of further appeal exists where Section 94 of the Employment Act declares Industrial Court decisions final – subsidiary procedural rules (Rule 24) cannot override substantive legislation.
18 March 2022
Unrecorded conciliation by a labour officer rendered the purported determination defective; matter remitted for fresh labour officer handling.
Labour law — jurisdiction and procedure — reference v appeal under s94 Employment Act and Rule 24; Labour officer powers under s13(1)(a) — must use and record a single method (conciliation, arbitration or adjudication); Requirement of record and minutes — unrecorded conciliation renders purported decision untenable; Remedy — referral to Commissioner to appoint another labour officer.
16 March 2022
Court upheld contempt finding and UGX 30,000,000 fine against the applicant for failing to disclose a garnishee fixed deposit.
Civil contempt – failure to comply with Garnishee Order Nisi – existence, knowledge and disobedience of order established;* Garnishee duties – banks must disclose existence and balances of accounts when ordered by court;* Defences – alleged banking practice or miscommunication insufficient where account existed at disclosure date;* Sanctions – monetary fine for civil contempt appropriate and can be upheld as not excessive.
14 March 2022
Claimant lawfully dismissed for alleged fuel siphoning based on photograph, 3D fleet data and failure to rebut evidence.
Labour law – dismissal for misconduct – alleged siphoning of fuel; evidential standard in disciplinary dismissals (balance of probabilities); admissibility and weight of photographic and fleet-management (3D) electronic records; procedural fairness and adequacy of disciplinary hearing.
11 March 2022
Whether the applicant's termination under a procedurally flawed P.I.P. was lawful and what remedies are available.
Employment law – Performance Improvement Plan (P.I.P.) – requirement for prior appraisal, consistent KPIs, regular reviews and fair hearing; Procedural fairness – procedural irregularities render termination unlawful; Remedies – special damages for employer loan undertaking, severance allowance, general damages; denial of salary arrears, leave pay, repatriation and holiday pay; Jurisdictional note – compensation for unlawful termination under labour officer regime vs court damages.
11 March 2022
Application to add the central bank as co‑respondent refused for failure to disclose a cause of action against the liquidator.
Financial institutions — Liquidation — Section 100(1)(a) Financial Institutions Act 2004 — Liquidator may bring or defend actions in the name and on behalf of the institution — Corporate capacity during liquidation — Privity of contract — Joinder/amendment to add liquidator as co‑respondent — Requirement to disclose cause of action.
9 March 2022
Registry misdirection caused sufficient cause to set aside dismissal and reinstate the labour dispute with costs.
Civil procedure – setting aside dismissal for want of prosecution – Order 9 r.18, Order 52 r.1 & r.3 CPR; s.98 CPA. Administrative error by court registry – sufficiency of cause to reinstate proceedings. Labour disputes – effect of statutory reorganisation (LADASA amendment) on case allocation and fair hearing. Service and ex parte proceedings – respondent’s failure to reply; costs awarded.
7 March 2022
Appeals raising factual or mixed issues require the court's leave; parties cannot substitute consent for that leave.
Employment law – appeal to Industrial Court – s.94 Employment Act – appeals on questions of law only; appeals on fact require court's leave – parties' consent cannot substitute for leave – defective grounds of appeal struck out.
4 March 2022
Representative order granted where all claimants gave written consent and confirmed presence, dispensing statutory notice requirement.
Civil procedure – Order 1 Rule 8 (representative suits) – requirements: same actual and existing interest; written authorization; proposed plaint – notice/public advertisement dispensed where written consent and presence in court satisfy purpose of rule.
4 March 2022
Representative order granted where all claimants had common interest and gave written and oral consent, dispensing statutory notice.
Civil Procedure – Order 1 Rule 8 – Representative suits – Requirements: same actual and existing interest, written authorization, proposed plaint with list of persons – Notice/publication requirement may be dispensed with where represented persons give written consent and confirm same in open court; Labour Disputes Act S.12(5).
4 March 2022
Court confirmed strike‑out of appeal based on an unauthentic labour ruling and referred the underlying complaint for rehearing.
Civil procedure – Review – Section 82 Civil Procedure Act and Order 46 CPR – error apparent on face of record and sufficiency of grounds for review. Labour law – Record of appeal – authenticity requirements for labour officer’s award (signed, dated, stamped) – Order 21 r.3 CPR and Employment Regulations. Procedure – competency of affidavits – timing of affidavit in reply and service requirements – discretion under Article 126(2)(e). Authority – advocate of retained firm competent to depose affidavit on behalf of corporate client. Remedy – referral of labour complaint to independent labour officer where appeal founded on unauthentic ruling.
4 March 2022