Lecturers in public universities across the country have threatened to go on a sit-down strike if the government fails to implement the presidential directive of enhancing salaries of academic staff in these institutions.
According to an April 25 letter from the University Professional and Academic Staff Union (UPASU) addressed to the Minister of Public Service, the staff have given the government three months to enhance the salaries of lecturers to 100 percent.
UPASU chairperson, Kituyi Mayoka says that academic staff have been patient since 2015 when the first presidential directive was issued.
He adds that the staff have endured the negative effects of the unfair salary enhancement that neglects majority of academic staff, adding that they are left with no option but to go on strike on August 2.
In 2015, President Museveni promised to increase salaries of teaching staff in public universities which would see a professor earn Shs15 million and a senior lecturer earn Shs12.2 million.
Government decided to implement this directive in a phased manner of five years, however, in the 2020/2021 Financial Year, the government released Shs50 billion which benefitted only professors and associate professors, who got their 100 percent salary increment (Shs15 million).
The Minister of Public Service, Mukasa Muruli had previously advised the staff to be patient as the government identifies funds to enhance their salaries.
