The Industrial Court has finally ruled in favor of Sanyu FM in a long-standing legal battle against its former Chief Operations Officer, Betsy Mugamba, declaring that her 2020 dismissal was lawful and justified.
Justice Anthony Wabwire Musana delivered the verdict, stating that Sanyu FM followed both proper procedure and legal standards when it decided to terminate Mugamba’s 27-year employment.
Mugamba had joined Sanyu FM in 1993 as a marketing executive and later rose to become the Chief Operations Officer in 2005.
During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Sanyu FM announced a 25% salary cut due to reduced revenue. Mugamba and 27 other employees reportedly rejected the pay cuts and stopped working, which management described as an unlawful strike that disrupted broadcasts and hurt the station’s reputation.
Following internal investigations and several disciplinary hearings, Mugamba was suspended on August 19, 2020, and later dismissed on September 25, 2020.
Through her lawyer Anthony Bazira, Mugamba claimed that she was unfairly terminated and that she had only signed a protest letter to show solidarity with fellow workers. She denied leading a strike and argued that the disciplinary process was biased and rushed.
She went on to sue Sanyu FM, demanding Shs 792 million in compensation for alleged unfair dismissal, emotional distress, and loss of income.
Sanyu FM’s lawyers, Elias Matovu and Shafic Mutesasira, argued that as a senior manager, Mugamba was supposed to protect the company’s interests but instead supported an illegal strike, which amounted to gross misconduct and a breach of trust.
An internal investigation led by Dr Joel Isabirye found that Mugamba was one of the main instigators of the strike that caused “severe brand damage” to the station.
Justice Musana ruled that Mugamba was given a fair hearing — she had notice, legal representation, and a chance to cross-examine witnesses.
He also noted that since Sanyu FM was considered an essential service during the lockdown, the strike was unlawful as no notice was issued to the Labour Officer, as required by law.
“As a senior manager, she was the eyes and ears of management. By endorsing an unlawful strike, she breached the duty of trust owed to her employer,” Justice Musana stated.
The court concluded that Sanyu FM had valid and genuine reasons for dismissing Mugamba, and she is not entitled to any compensation.
However, both parties were ordered to meet their own legal costd
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