By Josephine Maseruka
KABAKA Ronald Mutebi’s government is facing a crisis over non-payment of sh350m in salaries for 170 workers for seven months.

Several workers have approached The New Vision to highlight their plight after failing to get paid. They lamented that they could no longer afford to pay rent, school fees and other necessities. They appealed to the Kabaka to intervene.

The Mengo minister of finance, Eng. J.B. Walusimbi, yesterday confirmed that the workers had not been paid for seven months because of lack of funds in the kingdom coffers.

He said the Kabaka’s government had been spending sh50m per month on salaries. He added that the kingdom depended mainly on money from leases to pay off its workers, which he said, was not forthcoming.

Walusimbi said they were planning to reduce the number of workers but assured them that they would be paid.

Workers in Bulange, the Kabaka’s seat, said only the devoted few were still working, adding that the Kabaka was likely to lose many good workers who opted for better jobs.
“It is hard to believe, but that is what is going on here. We have not been paid for months and we do not know when we shall be paid,” some workers said.

A senior official at Mengo said there were too many workers in Enkuluze (Kabaka’s Fund) and they needed to be reduced. The official added that most of the revenue from leases and markets went to the Kabaka.
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