An evaluation of the adequacies of retirement policies and laws in Uganda: The case of National Social Security Fund, Makerere University and the Ministry of Public Service.

Abstract

This study evaluated the policies and/ or laws used in the management of retirement schemes in public institutions in Uganda. Specifically, it sought to:i) assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the policies or laws, for the implementation, monitoring and evaluating of the retirement schemes ii) identify and analyse the requirements for implementing retirement schemes iii) analyse the policies or laws for preparing employees for retirement iv).identify and assess the retirement schemes in public institutions and the challenges that affect them in order to recommend one model or scheme(s). It was premised on welfare theories, particularly the ABC. This Model shows that the advent of the Industrial Revolution led to decline in the traditional methods of providing formal Social Security and its expansion. The study used exploratory, cross sectional and retrospective research designs. It used mainly the qualitative data collection method. The population comprised of retirees, employees still in service and administrators of public institutions. Policymakers in public institutions were Key Informants. Data was analyzed using the NUDIST package. The findings reveal that the legal framework for implementing, monitoring and evaluating retirement schemes exist but are inadequate because they allowed selected applications,used complicated formulae for computing benefits and they were scattered and ambiguous. Secondly, the requirements for implementing retirement schemes were also grossly inadequate because of combining contributions and payment of benefits in one Department, lack of qualified human resources, lack of funds and mismanagement of the Social Security. Thirdly, employees prepared themselves by taking training and counselling services, increasing their savings, educating their children and engaging in farming. In conclusion, Uganda does not have Security policy/policies so it uses various laws and regulations in managing the Social Security System. The country has also remained ambivalent as far as reviewing the pension laws because of inadequate support from the country’s leadership. To formulate a Social Security policy, the study recommends: transferring best practices from outside and within some individual institutions that have attempted to formulate such policies, prioritising pension in national budgeting, turning the present non-contributory schemes to a Defined Contributory Scheme, compiling old and archaic laws for amendment, setting information desks, and establishing specific Departments for pension management. Finally, retirees should give early notice of retirement, adopt both the formal and informal Social Security arrangement, and change their attitude towards work.