Uganda must set a realistic minimum wage
Apr 27, 2011
EDITOR: Uganda urgently needs to set a realistic minimum wage. Currently, the minimum wage in Uganda is sh6,000! This figure was fixed in 1984 and is obviously pathetic today.
EDITOR: Uganda urgently needs to set a realistic minimum wage. Currently, the minimum wage in Uganda is sh6,000! This figure was fixed in 1984 and is obviously pathetic today.
Every employee deserves a decent salary, yet not everyone receives it. If a minimum wage was established in Uganda, it would help prevent exploitation of Ugandans who are at the mercy of stingy bosses who do not want to pay a fair wage.
Some employers do not even want to pay a wage at all! For example, in Uganda, it is not uncommon, for someone to be hired without a written contract. If an employee has not been given a written contract by his or her employer then there is no job security. This leaves many employees at the mercy of bosses who can ‘hire and fire’ as and when they wish. This is not right.
To correct the situation, the minimum wage for unskilled labourers ought to be revised and could be fixed at sh100,000 or its equivalent. This is just a suggestion but it could be more but certainly not less than that as it would be very hard for anyone to live a decent life in Uganda below sh100,000.
This matter must urgently be addressed through Uganda’s National Employment Policy. The labour minister must look into this
Josepha Jabo
Kampala
Every employee deserves a decent salary, yet not everyone receives it. If a minimum wage was established in Uganda, it would help prevent exploitation of Ugandans who are at the mercy of stingy bosses who do not want to pay a fair wage.
Some employers do not even want to pay a wage at all! For example, in Uganda, it is not uncommon, for someone to be hired without a written contract. If an employee has not been given a written contract by his or her employer then there is no job security. This leaves many employees at the mercy of bosses who can ‘hire and fire’ as and when they wish. This is not right.
To correct the situation, the minimum wage for unskilled labourers ought to be revised and could be fixed at sh100,000 or its equivalent. This is just a suggestion but it could be more but certainly not less than that as it would be very hard for anyone to live a decent life in Uganda below sh100,000.
This matter must urgently be addressed through Uganda’s National Employment Policy. The labour minister must look into this
Josepha Jabo
Kampala