University lecturers give Govt up to March to sort salary dispute

In 2013, the academic staff demanded an increase of their salary by 100% and in 2015 President Yoweri Museveni met their leaders and promised to increase the salaries of teaching staff in all public universities.The development would see a professor earning sh15 million and a senior lecturer sh12.2 million .

However, the government phased the implementation of the directive for five years.

In the 2020/2021 Financial Year, the government released sh50 billion which was only meant for professors and associate professors who were paid the 100 percent increment of sh15 million but for the lecturers` payment was not realized to date.

However, since then, the academic staff have been on and off with their strikes and the last strike was called off when the students reported from the first lockdown. When the students resumed on November 1, 2021, the lecturers continued to teach.

Dr. Robert Ojambo, the spokesperson for FASPU says that the National Executive Committee reviewed their decision and resolved not to strike and instead petition the Education Minister to start negotiations before next year in March.

According to Ojambo, the executive did not want to strike and disrupt students doing examinations. He adds that they wait until March if the government has included their money in the 2022/2023 financial year budget.

According to Dr.Ojambo, they are not ready to see the government only prioritize salary enhancement for the scientists.

The Forum for Academic Staff in Public Universities (FASPU) that was formed in 2017 has had several negotiations with the government on behalf of the academic staff in all the 10 public universities in line with the salary enhancement issues which affect them collectively.