By Mike Sebalu
Government through the Ministry of East African Community Affairs has paid a total of 1,308 former employees of the East African Community since the financial year 2016/17 to 2022/23.
In the Financial year 2016/17, 93 former employees were paid at USD 2 .57 million, 293 were paid in the financial year 2017/18 at a cost of over Shs27 billion and 335 were paid in the 2018/19 financial year at a cost of over Sh3 billion.
In 2019/20 financial year, 349 former employees were paid at Shs3.82 billion. Additionall, government paid 83 employees in 2021/22 financial year and 156 in 2022/2023.
Addressing the press at her office in Kampala, the 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga said there were 649 former employees of the defunct East African Airways of whom 482 claimants were fully paid.
This left a total number of 166 claimants with 40% outstanding balance not paid with a total due balance worth Shs8 billion.
Kadaga however says the physical verification of these claimants has failed because neither the former workers themselves, nor the administrators of estates to those who passed on are traceable to provide payment details.
