How civil servants pay will be raised
Security Minister Henry Tumukunde (left), Minister of Public Service Muruli Mukasa (centre) and Ministry of Public Service permanent secretary Catherine Musingwiire (2nd right) address journalists at Media Centre yesterday. PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA
Kampala- Cabinet has agreed to increase salaries of all civil servants starting July next year, a move that may cushion the country from continuous strikes by public workers over their emoluments.
Four ministers; Frank Tumwebaze [Information], Muruli Mukasa [Public Service], David Bahati [planning] and Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde [Security], together with Public Service permanent secretary Catherine Bitarakwate, yesterday announced the Cabinet decision at a press conference in Kampala.
“Public servants in the sectors of Education, Local Government, Internal Affairs, Health, Judiciary, Defence and Security, will have their salaries enhanced in the first phase,” Mr Mukasa said.
Mr Mukasa said specifically, primary school teachers, science secondary teachers, local government employees such as mayors, district chairpersons and sub-county chairpersons will have their salaries upped in the first phase.
“The government has embarked on cost saving measures including a review of the entire budget framework to rationalise budget of ministries, departments and agencies and revenue mobilisation,” Mr Mukasa added.
This, the Public Service minister said, is intended to avoid a paralysis of other government priority development goals.
First phase
Also, soldiers and police officers at the rank of private to sergeant and constables will be considered in the first phase in what Security minister Tumukunde pleaded with “our workers to continue to understand that this budget is put into calculation in full regard with what is in our pocket,” “I appeal to all our workers not to take Uganda to extreme limits and with the coming in of other new revenues, I suppose this country should have a lot of hope and don’t have to continue to panic over these matters,” Gen Tumukunde said.
Uganda is expected to start commercial oil production by 2020, an avenue that government officials have marketed as a key economic game changer.
The country has been plagued by continuous strikes from teachers, health workers, judicial officers and prosecutors who have all resorted to industrial action over what they say is salaries not being commiserate with their work.
Ms Bitarakwate warned civil servants that since government has agreed to increase their salaries, they should too be at their best in delivering services to Ugandans.
“It is going to be more paramount that there are no excuses to deliver service to the nation,” Ms Bitarakwate said. “It is part of the bargain. Employment is a two way process, you asking for compensation for your work and we are asking for delivery of service,” Ms Bitarakwate she added.
Proposed salaries
Leaked information. Though the ministers did not discuss the agreed salaries, a leaked salary proposal reported by Sunday Monitor two weeks ago, indicates the following;
Medical consultants, who will, if the structure is approved, jump from the current Shs2, 628,075 to Shs12, 000,000. Senior consultants will get a 320 per cent raise from the current Shs3, 447,065 to Shs14, 600,000.
Directors on salary scale U1SE will enjoy a 290 per cent raise, from Shs2, 893,252 to Shs11.4m.
The director general of health services, currently earning Shs4.6m per month has been proposed to earn Shs15.5m.
The committee also proposes to raise the salary for those ranked U8, the lowest ranking government workers.
