Pay rise approved for Kyambogo University staff

By Innocent Anguyo & Mary Machocho          

KAMPALA - The Kyambogo University staff can expect to have a higher disposable income after the institution’s council approved a 14% raise on their top-up allowance, effective July.

The Council is the supreme decision making body of the university.   

Prof Eli Katunguka-Rwakishaya, the acting Kyambogo University Vice Chancellor made the announcement over the weekend, during a press briefing in the institution’s council room.

Katunguka said the top up allowance raise is aimed at improving welfare of staff, in light of rousing them to work harder and smarter. Kyambogo has 420 teaching staff and 1,080 non-teaching staff.          

Kyambogo spends sh5.2 billion on top-up allowance annually, according to the university’s deputy vice chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration, Assoc. Prof Fabian Nabugomu.          

The 14% increment translates into sh728m. The top up allowance raise takes the university’s expenditure on top up allowance to sh5.92billion.          

Katunguka however noted that the raise will vary with the ranking of staff, with the nethermost placed members of staff such as the cleaners, sweepers and cooks getting at least a 25% increment.

The top quartile of the staff, including the vice chancellor will get the least increment of about 5%.          

“The essence of making the bottom-placed people get the highest increment is because they are most affected by vagaries in the economy,” explained Nabugomu.

The lowest ranked staff, comprising mainly non-teaching staff, who currently earn at least sh150, 000 as top up allowance will therefore get an increment of 37, 500.

With a sh1m top up allowance, the 5% increment for the Vice Chancellor results into sh50, 000. In reality, the highest quartile gets the highest increment.

Asked where Kyambogo would get the resources to foot the increment, Katunguka said the university would use internally generated funds, by rationalizing expenditure.

Nabugomu said the university will cut down on less important expenditure such as those on stationery, photocopying, workshops and travels.

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Kyambogo reportedly spends sh5.2 billion on top-up allowance annually

The Kyambogo University Academic Staff Association (KYUSA) welcomed the increment on top up allowance, saying it was long overdue.

 A 2012 report compiled by a four-member adhoc committee instituted by the then Kyambogo University Council at the continuation of its 25th meeting held on 14th March 2012 attributed high labour turnover at the institution to poor remuneration.

In their recommendations, the committee called for an improvement of the salary structure, in light of not only increasing the salary but also putting a clear reward system to benefit those who put more effort in their work.

High-speed internet cables laid

Kyambogo University has started laying fiber optic cables to enhance internet accessibility for both the students and staff.

The initiative is being undertaken with support from the African Development Bank, Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU) and National Information Technology Authority (NITA).

‘’If any university has to be competitive in the 21st century, it must embrace ICT in order improve communication and undertake ground breaking research,” said Katunguka.

The system is further expected to support the ongoing computerization of operations of the university.

Kyambogo recently launched the e-campus system, a computer application which has revolutionized admissions, fees payments, registration and management.

 Thanks to the system, students are currently applying online for consideration for admission under the private sponsorship scheme for the 2014/2015 academic year.

The system also checks fraud at the university by tracking all transactions, especially fees payments. The university has turned to online registration of students, courtesy of the e-campus.

Initially, applications; registration and transactions at Kyambogo were done manually.