The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 203 academic staff at Makerere University Business School (MUBS) have given management up to 15 days to pay their salary arrears.
The staff through their lawyers Kesiime and Company Advocates want the university to pay 57.5 billion shillings arising from imposing on them on a wrong salary scale.
Documents indicate that the staff have had several meetings on the same issue with the university management through the Makerere University Business Academic Staff Association (MUBASA), but there hasn’t been any positive outcome.
Despite the promises, staff say none of the promises have been implemented which they insist remains unfair to them. They argue that the MUBS management has been running two parallel salary payrolls one paid by government and another paid by the institution.
As a result, this has caused disparities leading to discontentment among staff. For instance, a staff at a rank of a lecturer at MUBS earns 6.8 million on government payroll while others on the same rank receive Shs. 3 million which they say is unfair.
The staff contend that as an accounting officer as well as member of Makerere University Business School Council, Professor Waswa Balunywa has failed to technically guide the University Council on this issue.
“That the first intended defendant (Professor Waswa Balunywa) is supposed to oversee payments of our clients’ salaries and ensure that every employee gets what is due to him or her, a job he has failed, neglected or intentionally refused to do,” says lawyers on behalf of the staff.
They further argue that Professor Balunywa is a custodian of the university seal and therefore vicariously liable for the omissions and acts of MUBS employees.
Brian Muyomba the MUBS academic staff chairperson disclosed that some of the staff who have worked for a period of 10 years and more have experienced salary disparities.
Their lawyers argue that this is not only unfair, unlawful and illegal but also discriminatory in nature, as pointed out in a 2014 Auditor-General Report.
“It is also unjust that have conflicted out clients with a big financial inequality causing the injustice perpetuated by your administration emanating therefrom,” lawyers say.
MUBS management is expected to clear the staff arrear within 15days or face court. Among other demands, lawyers have asked the School to pay an equivalent of Shs. 5.75billion as their legal fees, withdraw the said discriminatory payroll from the ministry of public service to ensure equity and to confirm the unconfirmed staff.
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