Employees at the National Land Commission (NLC) have raised serious allegations against the commission’s leadership, with Chief Executive Officer Kabale Tache and Director of Human Resource Management Ben Bett coming under scrutiny over claims of unfair pay adjustments, opaque recruitment practices and a deteriorating working environment that staff say has damaged morale across the institution.
The workers claim that junior employees have been unfairly targeted through reductions in house allowances, while some senior officers reportedly received increases during the same period.
According to the employees, house allowances for some lower cadre staff were reduced by up to 44 per cent without prior consultation or explanation.
They say many only discovered the changes after receiving their salaries.Staff members argue that the reported reductions have placed a heavier financial burden on junior employees at a time when the cost of living remains high. They also question why the adjustments allegedly affected lower-ranking officers while some senior staff are said to have benefited from improved pay.
Beyond the pay concerns, employees have also raised questions about recruitment and promotion practices within the commission. They allege that some vacancies have been filled without open advertisement or competitive interviews, locking out qualified internal candidates from career progression.
According to the workers, the perceived lack of transparency has weakened confidence in the commission’s employment processes. They claim that experience, qualifications and years of service no longer guarantee equal consideration for promotion.
Some employees believe appointments are increasingly influenced by personal connections instead of merit, although these claims have not been independently verified.
Documents, including payslips reportedly reviewed by the publication that first reported the matter, are said to indicate changes in house allowances affecting some employees.
However, the allegations made by the workers have not been independently confirmed.Several employees described the workplace as increasingly difficult, saying uncertainty, frustration and fear have become common among staff.
Some claimed they are reluctant to raise concerns internally because they fear victimisation or believe their complaints will not receive a fair hearing.
The complaints have also renewed attention on the commission’s human resource practices, which have previously attracted parliamentary oversight.
The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Lands had directed the commission to submit recruitment records covering the period between 2023 and 2026 to support its oversight role.
Employees hope the review will establish whether recruitment and promotion processes complied with the law and whether all applicants received fair treatment.
Public institutions are expected to uphold fairness, transparency and equal opportunity in employment decisions.
Labour experts maintain that remuneration policies should not unfairly disadvantage one group of employees without lawful justification. They also note that recruitment into public institutions is expected to be open, competitive and based on merit to protect public confidence in the hiring process.
Workers further argue that, as employees of a constitutional commission, they have limited collective bargaining mechanisms compared to many workers in other sectors, making it more difficult to challenge decisions affecting their welfare.
The employees are now calling on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Public Service Commission and relevant parliamentary committees to independently investigate the allegations.
They say such investigations will help determine whether the reported pay adjustments, recruitment practices and promotion processes comply with the Constitution, labour laws and principles of good public administration.
One employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, claimed that lower cadre staff had suffered significant reductions in house allowances while some senior officers reportedly received increases. The employee added that confidence in the commission’s recruitment and promotion systems had continued to decline and urged oversight agencies to intervene before the situation worsens.
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