Museveni appeals to Makerere lecturers
Nov 08, 2006
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday met Makerere University striking lecturers and asked them to resume work after they settled for sh2.8m gross salary for a professor.
By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe
and Herbert Ssempogo
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday met Makerere University striking lecturers and asked them to resume work after they settled for sh2.8m gross salary for a professor.
Museveni also agreed that computation of pension would be based on the gross salary.
The lecturers complained that their pension had been computed without the contribution of the University Council’s salary enhancement package, which left them with “miserable pension.â€
Education and finance ministries’ committee and MUASA and other public universities will study the situation and report their findings by March 2007.
The committee will also consider salary enhancement annually.
The meeting at Hotel Africana was attended by prime minister Apolo Nsibambi, the ministers for education Namirembe Bitamazire, Gabriel Opio (higher education), Peter Lokeris (primary), Charles Bakabulindi (sports) and Lukia Chekamondo (for privatisation).
Although they demanded that the sh2.8m come from government coffers, Museveni said the University Council’s package was also government money.
“I did not know that that is how you were being treated. That is unfair and your retirement benefits should be calculated based on your gross salary. You should not say you want sh2.8m from the Government because the private students’ money is also government money.
"If government wanted, that money would be taken to the Consolidated Fund,†Museveni said. He said their salaries would be enhanced pro rata in the next financial years.
“It is not that we don’t think it’s important; it is a question of what we can afford without forgetting the other sectors. Let us not go back to the situation when a vice-chancellor and a hall warden were killed,†he said.
He said UPE, USE, the energy crisis and CHOGM had forced the Government to divert money, which would have enhanced their salaries. He said UPE takes sh300b annually, sh144b was diverted because of the energy crisis and CHOGM took sh130b.
“You would be getting more than what you asked for but we cannot ignore other sectors,†he said.
He warned against strikes, which he said were irresponsible and disruptive. “I hope this will be the last strike. It creates a crisis. When you go on strike, over 30,000 students are not taught. Seventy percent of these are paying for themselves and then you decide not to teach them?†he asked.
“Some peasant in Kanungu has sold a piece of land to send children to Makerere and now you have stopped teaching. It is not correct. I appeal to you to stop it,†Museveni said.
MUASA chiefs said they would consider Museveni’s request to resume teaching at a general assembly at the medical school today.
“We have heard your request Mr. President and we shall consider it in our meeting but we also request that you consider our positions,†Nyakaana said.
MUASA accused the Government of breach of contract after the finance ministry said their gross salary would include both the Government and council’s contribution.
and Herbert Ssempogo
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday met Makerere University striking lecturers and asked them to resume work after they settled for sh2.8m gross salary for a professor.
Museveni also agreed that computation of pension would be based on the gross salary.
The lecturers complained that their pension had been computed without the contribution of the University Council’s salary enhancement package, which left them with “miserable pension.â€
Education and finance ministries’ committee and MUASA and other public universities will study the situation and report their findings by March 2007.
The committee will also consider salary enhancement annually.
The meeting at Hotel Africana was attended by prime minister Apolo Nsibambi, the ministers for education Namirembe Bitamazire, Gabriel Opio (higher education), Peter Lokeris (primary), Charles Bakabulindi (sports) and Lukia Chekamondo (for privatisation).
Although they demanded that the sh2.8m come from government coffers, Museveni said the University Council’s package was also government money.
“I did not know that that is how you were being treated. That is unfair and your retirement benefits should be calculated based on your gross salary. You should not say you want sh2.8m from the Government because the private students’ money is also government money.
"If government wanted, that money would be taken to the Consolidated Fund,†Museveni said. He said their salaries would be enhanced pro rata in the next financial years.
“It is not that we don’t think it’s important; it is a question of what we can afford without forgetting the other sectors. Let us not go back to the situation when a vice-chancellor and a hall warden were killed,†he said.
He said UPE, USE, the energy crisis and CHOGM had forced the Government to divert money, which would have enhanced their salaries. He said UPE takes sh300b annually, sh144b was diverted because of the energy crisis and CHOGM took sh130b.
“You would be getting more than what you asked for but we cannot ignore other sectors,†he said.
He warned against strikes, which he said were irresponsible and disruptive. “I hope this will be the last strike. It creates a crisis. When you go on strike, over 30,000 students are not taught. Seventy percent of these are paying for themselves and then you decide not to teach them?†he asked.
“Some peasant in Kanungu has sold a piece of land to send children to Makerere and now you have stopped teaching. It is not correct. I appeal to you to stop it,†Museveni said.
MUASA chiefs said they would consider Museveni’s request to resume teaching at a general assembly at the medical school today.
“We have heard your request Mr. President and we shall consider it in our meeting but we also request that you consider our positions,†Nyakaana said.
MUASA accused the Government of breach of contract after the finance ministry said their gross salary would include both the Government and council’s contribution.