Nalwadda v Uganda Aids Commission (Civil Suit No. 67 of 2011)

Observed later treatment

Citator coverage is limited to judgments in the Wakilii corpus and source-matched treatment records. Absence of a signal is not an assertion that the case remains good law.

Holding

An employee wrongfully dismissed from a fixed-term contract with no termination clause is entitled to damages equivalent to salary for the unexpired contract period, plus gratuity and unpaid salary during interdiction. Special damages must be specifically pleaded and strictly proved; claims unsupported by documentary evidence or contractual entitlement will be refused. The court awarded six months' salary, gratuity for two years, and balance of interdiction salary.

Outcome

Plaintiff awarded damages for wrongful dismissal; claims for IGAD allowances, medical allowances, and NSSF contributions dismissed

Facts

The plaintiff was employed by the defendant as Director of Planning and Monitoring on a three-year renewable contract effective September 2007 to September 2010. In March 2010, she was interdicted (receiving half salary for two months) and then dismissed. She successfully obtained certiorari in Miscellaneous Cause No. 45 of 2010 quashing the dismissal for failure to follow natural justice rules. She then instituted this suit for assessment and recovery of damages. The defendant failed to appear at trial despite intentions to settle, and the plaintiff proceeded ex parte.

Issues

1. What damages is a wrongfully dismissed employee entitled to recover where the employment contract was for a fixed period with no termination clause?
2. Whether the plaintiff is entitled to special damages including IGAD allowances, medical allowances, and NSSF contributions.

Orders

• Judgment entered for the plaintiff against the defendant.
• Defendant to pay monthly salary for March 2010 to August 2010 totaling UGX 8,696,922.
• Defendant to pay annual gratuity for 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 totaling UGX 4,432,575.
• Defendant to pay balance of salary for two months interdiction of UGX 1,449,487.
• Awards to carry interest at court rate from date of judgment until payment in full.
• Plaintiff awarded taxed costs of the suit.

Rules and key headnotes

Cases cited (3)

• Uganda Revenue Authority v Wanume David Kitamirike (Civil Appeal No. 43 of 2010)
• Ahmed Bhaku v Car and General Ltd (SCCA No. 12 of 2002)
• Gullabhai Ushillingi v Kampala Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SCCA No. 6 of 1999)

Cases citing this judgment (6)

How later Ugandan judgments in the Wakilii corpus have cited this case. Treatment labels come from Sequitur — Uganda’s citator — each backed by a verbatim span from the citing judgment, and are not an assertion that this case is, or is not, good law.

• Sserunjoji Alamanzani v Muwonge Geoffrey (Civil Suit 423 of 2025)
• Agama and Another v Okwakol (Civil Suit 15 of 2017)
• Agama and Another v Okwakol and 11 Others (Land Civil Suit No. 15 of 2017)
• Coasta Construction Services v National Water and Sewerage Corporation (HCCS 429 of 2012)
• John Baptist Walusimbi v Wilberforce Sserukubwa (Civil Appeal No. 41 of 2016)
• Kalule v Stanbic (U) Ltd (Civil Suit No. 598 of 2014)

The original judgment as reported. Read the original PDF before relying on any passage.