MPs during a sitting
Ugandan MPs have resolved that government presents to Parliament, a sustainable salary enhancement plan of all categories of public officers with clear budgetary indications and timelines for implementation.
This was contained in a motion passed during plenary sitting on Wednesday, 07 July 2022, urging government to harmonize and enhance remuneration of public officers,
The MPs urged government to commence the implementation of the approved salary enhancement of the arts teachers and primary teachers progressively.
The motion that was presented by the Chairperson of the Committee on Education and Sports, John Ntamuhiira Twesigye, government was further urged to implement the salary enhancement plan of public officers in line with Article 40 (1) (b) of the 1995 Constitution.
“Parliament urges government to ensure continuous engagements with public service unions through negotiations, consultations and participation in accordance with Public Service (Negotiating, Consultative and Disputes Settlement Machinery) Act, 2008 during the implementation of the approved salary enhancement plan,” read the motion in part.
While seconding the motion, Godfrey Onzima, the Aringa North County MP, who is also the Chairperson of the Committee on Public Service and Local Government, said that in 2017, government entered into an agreement to enhance salaries of all public officers in a phased manner, from 2018 to 2023.
“The initial agreement when it was tabled in the Committee of Public Service and Local Government was that this enhancement would be financed through funds that would be realized after rationalization of government agencies but along the way, the element of rationalization has not taken place,” said Onzima.
He added that the salary enhancement was also affected by the negative effects of Covid19 pandemic on the economy.
“We feel that the initial plan of government to enhance these salaries for all the public servants might not be implemented in the way that it was planned. We therefore though that it would be important for government to come up with a comprehensive plan,” said Onzima.
He added: “Whether the current situation as it is will be sustainable is still questionable. So we expect that government must come up with a realistic plan that can be implemented and that cannot put government under pressure.”
Ndorwa County East MP Wilfred Niwagaba, however, called for an amendment to the motion to order accounting officers to ensure that in implementing the Appropriation Act, there is non-discrimination, particularly when it comes to payment of salaries of teachers.
“When we passed that Appropriation Act, we never included anything to do with discriminatory payment,” said Niwagaba.
The motion was moved following a debate on Wednesday, July 06, 2022, in which MPs unanimously disagreed with the recent decision to increase salaries of teachers of science subjects, a move which led to an industrial action by the teachers of arts subjects. (Read What a Number of MPs said during the heated debate on the matter HERE).
Report: Parliament of Uganda
Arts Teachers’ Strike Suspended after UNATU Meeting with Museveni
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.
Meanwhile, an NRM MP has angered teachers after telling them they are too poor to go on strike. (Read Story Here).
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