MAKERERE. The controversy surrounding public universities teaching and non-teaching staff who are on a sit down strike over delayed pay rise, has taken a new twist with Makerere University vice chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe disowning the group .
In a letter dated February 17, 2025 addressed to all academic, administrative and support staff of public universities, the leadership of the Forum for Academic Staff of Public Universities (FASPU) and Non-teaching Executive Forum (PUNTSEF), indicated they had decided to lay down their tools after government failed to respond to their pleas for a pray rise.
“Reference is made to the PUNTSEF and FASPU resolution of January 8, 2025 and subsequent resolutions by the staff of various public universities that if there is no reply to the letter dated January 9, 2025 to the Minister of Public Service, we shall withdraw our labour effective February 16, 2025 until the money for salary enhancement for outstanding categories of staff is included in the National Budget for the Financial Year 2025/2026,” PUNTISEF chairperson, Mr Jackson Betihamah’s letter reads in part.
According to Mr Betihamah , the leadership of FASPU- PUNTSEF had not received any feedback from the minister of Public Service by February 17,2025.
“Therefore, all staff in public universities withdrew their labour as notified on January 9, 2025,” he added
But in a letter dated February 19 ,2025 addressed to Dr Robert Kakuru ,the chairperson Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) and other staff leaders , Prof .Nawangwe , said leaders of FASPU-PUNTSEF have never negotiated for salary enhancement for any staff and their claims of causing salary enhancement are false .
“FASPU-PUNTSEF is also not grounded in the law as an association to negotiate for staff welfare .Teaching and learning activities for semester two (AY 2024//2025/commenced on February 18 January 2025 ,through the office of the 1st deputy vice chancellor ,management committees to monitor all teaching by members of staff daily ,” the letter reads in part
Mr Robert Ojambo, the Kyambogo University Academic Staff Association (KYUASA)’s chairperson, who also double as the spokesperson of Public Universities Academic Staff association ,said on February 19 that most universities, including Kyambogo University, Busitema University, Soroti University, Lira University, Gulu University, Makerere University Business School and Mbarara University of Science and Technology had notified their members to go on strike.
“ Cognizant that FASPU and PUNTSEF in their joint meeting held on 08th January ,2025 passed a resolution ,requiring all staff of public universities to lay down their tools in an industrial action from 17th February ,2025. Noting that there has been on response on FASPU/PUNTSEF resolution by close of business on 16th February ,2025,over the request to include salary enhancement for public universities in the national budget for FY2025/2026…..we have resolved as follows – to join the rest of public universities in industrial actions for salary enhancement (pro-rata) effective Saturday 22rd February 2025,” a statement dated February 20 signed by chairperson of Gulu University Academic Staff Association addressed to the vice chancellor ,reads in part .
However, the statement ,said staff in security unit, salary unit, medical health unit, science insectary and multifunctional laboratory and projects will remain at their duty stations for seven days as management finds “an alternative to their service delivery”.
The striking staff want the government to increase salaries of all the university staff in PSU 5 to PSU15. The salaries of professors and associate professors was increased to 100 per cent in the 2019/2020 budget. They claim government promised to increase their salary later, but when the Covid-19 pandemic came , government asked them to be patient. To date, nothing has happened as earlier promised, the university staff complain .
But Prof. Nawangwe revealed that the University Council and Appointments Board approved salary harmonized for all staff , waiving the academic qualification requirements .
“Despite the delays encountered, this category of staff revealed their harmonized salaries with the January 2025 salaries including arrears a few staff appeals were received and are undergoing reviews by the Appointments Board and staff tribunal,” he said
Background
In 2015, President Museveni directed for salary enhancement of teaching staff in public universities, with professors earning Shs15 million per month each. The other staff’s enhancement would subsequently, according to Mr Museveni’s directive.
Since then, the staff in public universities have been staging numerous on and off sit down strikes to compel the government fulfill its pledge , but all in vain.