Does Whistle blowing And Gossip Mean The Same Thing?

StaffUpdated February 29, 20201 Mins read479 Views

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Remember back in the day when we were in primary school? There was that thing called “Solida” which meant to stick together even when it meant that you would be beaten by the teacher yet you were innocent of the offense of noise-making. Thank God we left that behind. These days, being a snitch pays!!!!

Our government enacted a law known as the Whistleblowing Protection Act 2010 to provide a means for you and me to report illegal things happening in your workplace or government institution.

WHAT IS WHISTLEBLOWING

Whistleblowing is the act of telling the authorities or the public that the organization you are working for is doing something immoral or illegal. Whistleblowing is not ‘lugambo’ (gossip) as some of you may choose to call it but an ethical virtue to embrace. To ignore evil is to be an accomplice to it.

HOW DOES THE WHISTLEBLOWER’S ACT WORK?

This law was created to provide procedures by which individuals in both the private and public sector in the public interest, disclose information that relates to irregular, illegal or corrupt practices.

It also provides for the protection against victimization of persons who make disclosures and related matters. This means that your identity is protected by this Act, so that you can safely, without fear of being named and shamed, disclose irregularities. The disclosure may be oral or written. It protects a whistle-blower from being sued or prosecuted for disclosing irregularities.

Therefore, the next time you find out something irregular or illegal is happening at your place of work, gather all the energy to go to authorities or public through one of the media houses and disclose the information. Always remember to ask to be protected under this.

Source:Barefoot Lawyers- Uganda