A storm is brewing inside the National Land Commission, where disgruntled employees have come forward with explosive allegations against the institution's leadership, accusing top managers of presiding over a workplace marked by discriminatory pay adjustments, opaque recruitment practices, and a deteriorating work environment that has left many workers demoralised and fearful.
Junior staff at the commission claim they have borne the brunt of what they describe as a targeted cost-cutting exercise, with house allowances slashed by as much as 44% without any prior consultation or explanation, while some senior officers reportedly enjoyed pay increases during the same period, widening the gap between lower and higher cadre employees at a time when many households are already buckling under the rising cost of living.
Several employees have expressed outrage over the unilateral changes, saying they discovered the reductions only after receiving their salaries, and argue that the burden of reducing the wage bill has unfairly fallen on those who can least afford it while senior management remains insulated from the effects of the adjustments.
Documents, including payslips reviewed by this publication, appear to show significant changes in employee house allowances that workers say have disproportionately affected junior staff, and these allegations have not been independently verified.
Beyond the pay concerns, workers have raised serious questions about the commission's recruitment and promotion processes, alleging that some vacancies are filled without open competition, public advertisement, or transparent interviews, effectively locking out qualified internal candidates from career advancement opportunities.
According to several staff members, there is growing concern that some appointments are no longer based purely on merit, qualifications and experience, with workers alleging that some vacancies have been filled without open competition, public advertisement or transparent interviews, denying qualified internal officers a fair opportunity to advance their careers.
Staff members say the lack of transparency has eroded trust in the system, with many feeling that years of dedicated service no longer guarantee equal consideration for promotion, and that some appointments are now based on connections rather than merit, qualifications, and experience.
Employees claim the perceived lack of transparency has destroyed confidence in the commission's promotion system, with many feeling that years of loyal service no longer guarantee equal consideration for career advancement.
The deteriorating morale has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear, with employees reluctant to voice their concerns internally for fear of being ignored or victimised, leaving many to suffer in silence as the institution's reputation continues to decline.
Several workers describe a workplace where morale has steadily declined, saying uncertainty, frustration and fear have become part of everyday life, and many officers are reluctant to raise concerns internally because they believe their complaints will either be ignored or expose them to victimisation.
The spotlight has now turned on Chief Executive Officer Kabale Tache and Director of Human Resource Management Ben Bett, whom employees are calling upon to explain the reported changes to staff benefits and respond to the growing concerns surrounding recruitment, promotions and employee welfare.
The complaints also come as the commission continues to face parliamentary oversight over its human resource practices, with the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Lands previously directing the commission to submit recruitment records covering the period between 2023 and 2026 as part of its oversight role.
Employees say they hope the review will provide answers on whether recruitment processes complied with the law and whether all candidates were treated fairly, as labour law requires public employers to uphold fairness, transparency and equality in employment decisions.
Employment experts note that remuneration policies should not unfairly disadvantage one category of employees without lawful justification, while recruitment into public institutions is expected to follow open, competitive and merit-based procedures.
Workers also point out that, as staff of a constitutional commission, they have limited collective bargaining mechanisms compared to workers in many other sectors, making it difficult to collectively challenge decisions affecting their welfare.
The employees are now appealing to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Public Service Commission, and the relevant parliamentary committees to independently investigate the concerns raised, arguing that only an independent review can establish whether the reported pay adjustments, recruitment practices and promotion processes comply with the Constitution, labour laws and principles of good public administration.
"House allowances for lower cadre staff have reportedly been reduced by up to 44 per cent without consultation while some senior officers have received increases. Staff morale has collapsed, many employees no longer believe recruitment and promotions are transparent, and confidence in the institution continues to decline. We are asking oversight agencies to investigate before the situation gets worse," said a staff member who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation.
