Former NBI Accountant Takes Sexual Harassment Case to Court of Appeal

A legal battle is set to unfold at the Court of Appeal as a former accountant for the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), Mathew Rumanyika, challenges a ruling that dismissed his sexual harassment and workplace victimization case. The Industrial Court had previously sided with the NBI, stating that the organization’s diplomatic immunity shields it from civil lawsuits in Uganda.

Mr. Rumanyika claims he faced severe workplace hostility, sexual harassment, and ultimately constructive dismissal. His appeal aims to determine whether international organizations can use diplomatic immunity as a shield against accountability for alleged employment breaches and human rights violations occurring within Uganda’s borders.

According to court documents, Mr. Rumanyika alleged that a female colleague made persistent, unsolicited romantic and personal advances after he joined the NBI in September 2020. Despite his rejections, he claims the colleague resorted to workplace bullying, sabotage, and psychological warfare. He presented evidence, including WhatsApp chats and gift receipts, to support his allegations.

Mr. Rumanyika further alleges that his colleague threatened his job security by interfering with official documents and cash dockets. He claims she explicitly linked the cessation of this sabotage to him conceding to her sexual demands. When he refused, she allegedly insulted him and pre-emptively accused him of sexual harassment.

Despite escalating these grievances to NBI management, Mr. Rumanyika contends that no meaningful action was taken. Instead, he claims he was placed on a performance improvement plan, removed from the payroll, and accused of insubordination. Feeling his grievances were being ignored and his exit engineered, he resigned in protest in August 2024 and filed a lawsuit.

The Industrial Court, however, did not delve into the merits of Mr. Rumanyika’s claims. Citing precedents, the court agreed with the NBI’s preliminary objection that diplomatic immunity barred their jurisdiction. This decision has propelled the case to the Court of Appeal, where its outcome is keenly awaited by legal experts, civil society, and human rights advocates.

This high-stakes appeal will scrutinize the delicate balance between the operational independence of international organizations and the fundamental rights of local employees. The ruling could have significant implications for how similar disputes are handled in Uganda’s labor market and the diplomatic community. The Court of Appeal has yet to set a hearing date for the case.

This story was first reported by the Daily Monitor.