On 30 April 2025, MURBS joined national commemorations of International Labour Day with a virtual dialogue themed: “Improving Access to Labour Justice: A Prerequisite for Increased Labour Productivity – The Role of Retirement Benefits.”
The session convened College Principals, HR and Legal Affairs representatives, Association Executives, and Project Principal Investigators to explore how labour justice and leadership contribute to dignified retirement and national productivity.
Keynote Address: Mr. Victor Bua Leku, Commissioner/ HRM, Ministry of Public Service; Board Director, URBRA
Mr. Leku emphasized the role of social protection in enhancing workforce productivity. His key messages included:
i) Retirement Security is Social Justice: Inclusive and transparent retirement systems are critical for ensuring dignity in retirement.
ii) Leadership Must Drive Reform: Leaders should champion pension portability, voluntary savings, and digital member education to strengthen retirement security.
iii) MURBS as a Benchmark: He commended MURBS for its strong governance, succession planning and consistent returns highlighting a 13.4% interest rate for FY 2024/25 and a fund value of UGX 409.2 billion as of June 2024.
iv) Justice Drives Productivity: Equitable pay and secure working conditions boost morale, reduce turnover and enhance performance.
v) Reform is required: Structural issues such as pay disparities, informal sector exclusion, and delayed dispute resolution require urgent policy attention and enforcement.
Panel Reflections
i) Plan from Day One: Mr. Julius Lebo (HR Directorate) emphasized the need for retirement education from induction. He applauded recent salary harmonisation efforts and proposed a Retiree Community Centre to support post-retirement wellbeing.
ii) Governance Anchors Justice: Dr. Saul Nsubuga re-affirmed MURBS’ governance, highlighting a key milestones in labour justice of the recovery of unremitted funds since 2010. He reminded Trustees: “Safeguarding members’ funds is not optional—it is a core fiduciary duty.”
iii) Know Your Rights: Ms. Esther Kabinga (Legal Affairs) advised members to know their rights and to be proactive in understanding legal channels for dispute resolution, starting internally and escalating to labour authorities as needed.
MURBS’ Commitment to Labour Justice
“MURBS reaffirms its commitment to advancing retirement justice through sound governance, continuous member education and financial sustainability. We remain dedicated to securing a dignified retirement of our members.”
Happy Labour Day!