Lawyers demand for salary increment

By Norah Mutesi and Petride Mudola

The Uganda Law Society has proposed a new salary structure for judicial officers working in the public sector, in which judges would earn between sh20m and sh40m monthly.

The society’s president, James Mukasa Sebugenyi recently appealed to the government to increase salary from about sh5m and 40m given the nature of their work load.

He asked the Government to consider the experience of judges.

‘’Even some drivers in the public service earn over sh30m, and then a chief judge earns sh5m, is that being fair?’’ asked Mukasa president Uganda Law Society.

The society president said that their manpower is too limited and yet the government is not responding to it. They are so much constrained, and that that is why normally there is a lot of pending cases for each court.

The lawyers said that some times their income does not cover their costs, like rent, transport and fees for their children.

‘’When we compare our income sometimes it does not cover our costs,’’ said Lydia Ochieng Obbo the advocate.

The society president appealed to the government to assist in recruiting new lawyers since both the chief judge and his deputy are about to retire.

He also said that if the government continues to keep quiet about their problems, they will take action.

“We are ready to take the matters to the Supreme Court if need be, we won’t fear anything,’’ said the society president.

The society president also criticized the government for calling them antigovernment when they come up to speak on rule of law, bad government, and corruption.