Civil servants in Wakiso district local government are in a silent protest against none payment of their salary for two months. This has frustrated services in the district especially in health department where health workers report for duties at own time despite of the long patient lines.
Some of the civil servants from different departments, have decided to stay away from duty, affecting service delivery to residents as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction.
Health centres are the most hit service providers as medical workers arrive late and depart before the official closing time leaving the patients in lines crying for divine interventions.
Patients at Wakiso health center IV which serves almost the entire Wakiso town and the neighboring communities, had the Wednesday this week a difficult day as they waited for seven hours in line but only see a handful of facility managers telling them to be patient.
It reported that by 10 am on Wednesday, save for cleaners and clinical in charge the rest of the staffers were nowhere on duty as were reportedly attending to their private business despite the presence of a long queue of patients in the waiting area.
The situation is not different at the district headquarters where civil servants reportedly report late for duties to sign in for presence and disappear during day time only to resurfaces in the evening to sign out and call it a day.
speaking on conditions of anonymity for fear of victimization by superiors, an official said that they have decided to go on a silent protest because there is no way a person is expected to work normally when he has missed payment for two months.
This staff stated that Wakiso being an urban area where the cost of living is high, missing salary means there will be no food at home and the utility bills will pile which is undeserving for a civil servant who is perceived in a public as an officer.
“I wonder whether someone can leave home when he is not sure that his children will have lunch,” the worker said.
Ali Mukasa, an Employee in the Communications Office, who says that that the situation should be an eye opener to all civil servants adds that the best way of surviving in such times is none other than moonlighting to earn some money to support their families.
Mukasa noted that the situation is an eye opener to civil servants, saying there is need to invest some money whenever they are paid other than spend it entirely and wait for the next payment.
The top district officials say they are aware of the situation and trying to address it.
The Wakiso District LC V Chairperson, Matia Lwanga Bwanika, told the media that the top management is trying by all means to bring the situation to order.
He said that they have engaged the Finance Department and Chief Administrative Officer to get clear explanations on how the district workers can spend two months without pay.
Lwanga further noted that although he wishes to see service delivery moving on smoothly, it is difficult and inhumane to compel someone to work without pay for a normal human being.
He says the situation might not that pressing among the top officials but lower civil servants like office attendants are trapped.
He says previously they would give civil servants some allowances from the local revenue whenever such situation could occur but this stopped since the single treasury account was introduced.
Jude Mark Bukenya, the Deputy CAO said that the Ministry of Finance has been not find and also requested seeking an explanation on the situation.
Bukenya appealed to fellow civil servants to carry on with their duties despite the fact that the situation is pressing, adding that they will be paid once the ministry releases the money. Recently, civil servants in a number of districts shunned the celebrations of International Labour Day saying that they were protesting against salary delays. For comments, call or text us on 0752510225.
