Under the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU), teachers have called off a planned strike after touring Namanve Industrial Park on the orders of President Yoweri Museveni. Teachers have been pressing for salary increment for some time now but the Government back-tracked on its earlier agreement of enhancing the teacher’s salaries in a phased manner. Only Shs49bn was provided in the 2019/2020 FY budget out of the total Shs251bn required to enhance the teacher’s pay.
It is this development that forced UNATU to call for nationwide protests that were expected to start on 27th May 2019 to compel government to enhance teacher’s salaries to ensure that the least paid teacher earns a monthly wage of Shs900,000. However, about 200 UNATU leaders had a meeting with President Museveni on Sunday where he emphasized that much as boosting teacher’s salaries is a priority, the Government is focused on industrializing the country to create more jobs for Ugandans, a target which requires a lot of investment in water, electricity and roads among others. The teachers henceforth agreed to suspend the strike for a term as they await Government’s communication in July.
President Museveni later directed the teachers’ Union to tour Namanve Industrial Park located in Kira Municipality, Wakiso district to enable them appreciate government priorities and the reason the government has not been able to increase teachers’ salaries.
On Monday, Uganda Investment Authority guided the leaders of the teacher’s union under the leadership of their General Secretary Philbert Baguma, to tour the industrial park. After the tour, members of the Union said they had developed a change of mindset because the projects at the park are equally vital. Baguma told journalists that they agree with government that their salary enhancement be stayed for more of such developments to come to light.
The UNATU Arua district chairperson, Nyokatre Candia Richard, says the president’s argument for stay of salary enhancement makes more sense after visiting the steel rolling factory. For comments, call or text us on 0704142939.
