Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), the national army, has explained why only salaries of general and senior military officers will increased in the current financial year and why the pay for low cadre officers — just like that of arts teachers — may not be enhanced in the FY2022-2023.
From the explanation offered by Brig Gen Felix Kulaigye, the spokesperson of the UPDF as well as the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA), numbers were a great determinant on which ranks had their salaries enhanced first.
On July 12, Kulayigye explained that officers at the general and senior ranks are fewer than their colleagues at the lower cadre rank — from captain to the private.
The other reason was that the low cadres had had their salaries increased in the 2018-2019 financial year alongside other government employees’. During the 2018-19 financial year, the senior officers and the general officers had not had their salaries enhanced.
The third reason was that it would not be fair to increase salaries of low cadre officers when other government employees in the same category such as arts teachers have not been considered. In other words, government was trying to avoid industrial actions that would come out of more discriminatory salary enhancement.
What will happen now, at least according to Brig Gen Kulaigye, is that while general officers will enjoy their 100 per cent salary increment and the senior officers 50 per cent this current financial year (2022-2023), low cadre officers — just like arts teachers — might have to wait for the next financial year (2023-2024).
For now, it is at least clear that senior and general officers will be considered this year and the low cadres next year. But for arts teachers and science teachers, it remains unclear how much increment they (science teachers) will get or if they (arts teachers) will get any increment at all. (Read Story Here).
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In order to improve service delivery and end the challenge of strikes over low pay, President Museveni’s government has proposed huge salary increments for teachers, doctors and other employees starting July 2022. (Read Story Here)
The proposed increments have left many people wondering if government will really fulfill this pledge and increase salaries by very high amounts.
For example, opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has argued that the promise of salary increment is just ‘another lie.’ (Read Story Here).
Finance Minister Matia Kasaija recently said the money for increasing teachers’, doctors’ and other civil servants’ salaries was available. (Read Story Here).
In August 2021, cabinet approved salary increment for teachers, doctors and other health workers. (Read Story Here).
See the salary structure that had been proposed for the current financial year here.
UPDATED LIST: See Salary Structure for All Government Workers
Meanwhile, an NRM MP has angered teachers after telling them they are too poor to go on strike. (Read Story Here).
