We shall fire striking doctors, says Museveni
Visit. President Museveni interacts with some of the medical staff at the inauguration ceremony of the rehabilitation of Hoima hospital in May 2016. File photo
What you need to know:
- The two bishops have been joined by Fort Portal Municipality MP Alex Ruhunda and Sylvia Rwabwogo, the Kabarole Woman MP, who say Article 102(b) should be allowed to be tested.
- The Karambi LC II chairman, Mr Dan Kasolo Atwooki, who hosted the function in his area, earlier asked the President for a rise in allowances paid to LCI chairpersons.
President Museveni said yesterday he will fire all striking doctors and replace them with new ones.
“The doctors have betrayed me, we had selected a committee to review the salaries of civil servants in the country. It had just completed its work and doctors have decided to strike as many people have lost their lives,” Mr Museveni said.
“How can you strike and let people die because you want a pay raise, this is intolerable, we shall fire doctors who don’t want to work,” the President warned.
The President was addressing a rally on Thursday at Karambi Sub-county grounds in Burahya County, Kabarole District, organised by the area MP Margaret Muhanga.
Mr Museveni did not give his warning a timeline when he will start firing the striking doctors.
The strike has entered the second week as medical doctors demand a pay raise, citing wage disparities in the country. On November 6, doctors under their umbrella body, Uganda Medical Association (UMA), laid down their tools after government failed to respond to their grievances.
The doctors argue that the net pay of Shs900,000 for a medical officer does not match the job market.
Government has asked striking doctors to quit the hospital premises as it embarks on a recruitment process of new doctors who are willing to work under the current public service terms.
The President said the way they managed crises during the bush war was to let the foot soldiers eat cassava and they as commanders sleep hungry in the camps, but knowing that they will all benefit in future.
For the rally, hundreds of NRM supporters were ferried from all corners of Burahya in buses to Karambi Sub-county but some senior religious leaders and other MPs in Kabarole that have spoken out against the proposed constitutional amendment to lift the age limit did not attend the function.
Bishops Reuben Kisembo Amooti of Ruwenzori Diocese and Robert Muhiirwa Akiiki of Fort Portal Catholic Diocese have on several occasions asked Mr Museveni to consider retiring instead of tinkering with the Constitution.
The two bishops have been joined by Fort Portal Municipality MP Alex Ruhunda and Sylvia Rwabwogo, the Kabarole Woman MP, who say Article 102(b) should be allowed to be tested.
When the two politicians held joint consultation rallies in Fort Portal town, Bishop Muhiirwa was in attendance.
The Karambi LC II chairman, Mr Dan Kasolo Atwooki, who hosted the function in his area, earlier asked the President for a rise in allowances paid to LCI chairpersons.
“We have not joined other workers who are protesting demanding a pay raise since we joined office, but we beg that government should consider a pay rise in the next financial year,” Mr Kasolo said.
Government pays each LC I chairman Shs10,000 per month as an allowance.
