TOUGH TIMES! Science Teachers, Other Government Employees Miss Salaries for Two Months (See Why)

A number of secondary school teachers, and other government employees have gone nearly two months without receiving the enhanced salary as promised by President Yoweri Museveni’s government. 

Some Chief Administrative Officers (CAO) have already written to the affected science teachers and other public servants in their districts, explaining the matter and calling for patience.

It is not clear if all districts are affected but this publication has seen memos written by two district CAOs to affected government employees.

The memos, from the districts of Kanungu and Kikuube were written shortly after the first week of September 2022.

On September 09, Kanungu District Local Government Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) wrote to all health workers, agricultural extension staff, tertiary and secondary school teachers addressing the issue of ‘non-payment of September Salary’.

The CAO further noted that the shortfall had affected government employees in the departments of production, health, natural resources, works, and education (tertiary and secondary.

The CAO explained that the central government had sent less funds than what was required to effect pay enhancement.

“Following the enhancement of salaries in different categories as communicated in the Circular Standing Instruction (CSI No 1 of 2022 salary structure for FY 2022/2023 from the Ministry of Public Service, Kanungu District Local Government received funds from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for ‘payment of salaries for Quarter One including the increment hence creating a shortfall in the wage,” wrote the Chief Administrative Officer.

But public servants have been asked to be patient as government processes a supplementary budget.

“The purpose of this memo therefore is to notify you of the non-payment and request you to be patient until the Ministry of Finance sends a supplementary budget to that effect,” the CAO concluded.

In Kikuube District, the situation is not any different, on September 08, 2022, CAO Dorothy Ajwang wrote to all secondary school employees addressing them on the issue of ‘inability to pay salaries for secondary school employees due to shortfalls in Quarter One Releases for Wage – FY 2022-2023.”

Ajwang noted that instead of sending Shs772.4m for the salaries of secondary school employees for the first quarter, the central government had only sent Shs367m.

“Kindly be notified that Kikuube District Local Government is at the moment unable to pay salaries for secondary school employees for quarter one (August and September 2022) due to insufficient wage arising from salary enhancement which caused a rise in the wage requirements for FY 2022/2023,” Ajwang wrote.

“Central Government released Shs. 367,151,059 for quarter one which was spent on salaries for July 2022 and partly August 2022 for a few employees and is now exhausted. Currently, the quarterly wage requirement for secondary school employees stands at Shs. 772,433,326 which means we have a shortfall of Shs. 405,282,267 on wage for quarter one.”

Like her Kanungu counterpart, CAO Ajwang also called for patience.

“In the interim, we have written to Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Ministry of Public Service to have this matter addressed,” she wrote.

“The purpose of this communication therefore is to inform you of the situation at hand and request you to be patient and remain committed to your job as the concerned Ministries address the matter.”

It should be remembered that in July 2022, Museveni’s government increased salaries of a number of employees, including science teachers, health workers and prosecutors. (See How Much Each Government Employees’ Category is supposed to earn every month, according to the new salary structure HERE).

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