Minister Otafiire pleads with State Prosecutors against strike

Otafiire pleads with State Prosecutors against strike

What you need to know:

The outcome of the midmorning secret ballot as announced by an independent electoral commission chairperson Mr Francis Ainomugasho, saw 224 prosecutors vote in favour of the strike.

State Prosecutors have given the Government a 14 day ultimatum to address their need for a salary increment or else they will lay down their tools.
The Prosecutors want a minimum salary of at least Shs9 million and Shs40 million for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The decision was reached Friday following a meeting in Kampala.
During the meeting, they massively voted by way of secret ballot to strike as a form of protest to the low pay that they earn in comparison to fellow lawyers who work for other government departments.
The outcome of the midmorning secret ballot as announced by an independent electoral commission chairperson Mr Francis Ainomugasho, saw 224 prosecutors vote in favour of the strike.

Two prosecutors voted against and 11 votes were invalid.
Prior to the enthusiastic voting, Justice Minister Kahinda Otafiire, laboured for about one full hour to convince the prosecutors to change their mind and allow him negotiate their terms with the relevant stake holders as opposed to the strike.
“I don’t think industrial action will help my case. You don’t fire your biggest gun at the beginning of the battle because assuming the enemy turns your gun into a disadvantage?” Minister Otafiire asked the prosecutors who had gathered at Imperial Royale Hotel to vote for industrial action.

“Why don’t we try diplomacy? The line minister further asked.
In response to his suggestion of trying diplomacy, the prosecutors assured the minister that they had engaged government for the last five years and nothing fruitful had come through.
“I beg you. I am not forcing you... I plead that you pick a team from yourselves and we meet the Prime Minister, Secretary to Treasury, ministers of Finance and Public Service and we discuss this through. If things are don’t get better, then you can fire your guns,” the minister pleaded with the state prosecutors who in turn booed him.