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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Lecturers under the Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) have commended efforts by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to have their salaries fully enhanced.
In a presidential directive dated September 30, Museveni ordered the public service minister to conclude payments for government scientists and university lecturers by moving them from the desired levels previously agreed on for 15 million shillings for professors and Shs 12.2 million for university lecturers.
The president also said the money must be paid without mixing it with the pay for the non-academic and non-technical personnel.
Now, Associate Professor Edward Nector Mwavu, the interim MUASA chairperson said the new presidential directive in fulfillment of his initial 2014 pledge will allow staff to focus on teaching, research and innovations for national transformation.
“We greatly appreciate and strongly believe that your firm stand on how improving the well being of staff in Public Universities can spur research and innovations which are crucial in national transformation. You clearly articulated this on your recent visit to Makerere University during a tour of the Agricultural and Innovations exhibition,” said Professor Mwavu in a letter dated October 17.
During a recent meeting in State House between the President and the executives of staff associations from all public universities, Museveni reportedly advised the staff to leave the salary enhancement issue to him, promising he would handle it the “Luweero way”.
Professor Mwavu believes that the technocrats from both the ministry of public service and ministry of finance will implement the presidential directive which he says will be handy in ending staff agitations in public universities.
Makerere has close to 1500 academic staff who are slated to benefit from this enhancement. These include; 103 professors, 158 associate professors, 197 senior lecturers, eight research fellows, 497 lecturers, 498 Assistant Lecturers and 22 teaching assistants.
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