Minister Expresses Frustration over Continued Teachers’ Strike despite Ultimatum

Public Service Minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa has expressed disappointment over the continued strike by government school teachers and Local Government workers, despite what he described as the government’s genuine efforts to address their salary concerns.

Arts teachers laid down their tools on September 15, 2025, protesting the wide pay disparities between them and their science counterparts. Their industrial action was soon joined by Local Government workers on October 1, who are also demanding equity in remuneration between scientists and non-scientists.

Last week, Minister Mukasa issued a seven-day ultimatum for teachers to return to work or risk being deleted from the government payroll, a threat that the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) dismissed. The government has since pledged to address their grievances in the 2026/2027 national budget, but the striking workers insist such promises have been made repeatedly without fulfilment.

Muruli Mukasa maintains that the government will not reverse its decision to enhance salaries for all teachers and Local Government staff in the next financial year, emphasising that the plan will also include political leaders. He was responding to issues raised by Local Government technocrats and politicians during the just-concluded 2026/27 Budget Consultations across the country.

Local Government leaders expressed concern that the ongoing strikes are crippling service delivery at district and sub-county levels. They warned that unless the salary issue is resolved permanently, local governments will struggle to play their role in the Tenfold Growth Strategy, which seeks to expand Uganda’s economy from 55 billion to 500 billion Shillings by 2040.

Paul Mugambe,  the Mayor of Nakawa Division Urban Council, said the government must address the issue of fair pay if it expects optimal performance from its workforce.  

But Muruli Mukasa reiterated that the government’s decision to gradually raise public service salaries was made years ago and has been implemented in phases since FY 2018/2019. He noted that increments were effected even in the current financial year and would continue next year to address the lingering disparities. However, he expressed frustration that despite ongoing discussions with union leaders, the workers had chosen to strike.  

The Minister also revealed that the remuneration rationalisation plan extends to the pension scheme. Under the new arrangement, government workers will contribute 5 per cent of their salary to a pension, while the government adds 10 per cent, similar to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) model for private sector employees. He said the new Pension Act, once implemented, will help resolve persistent challenges in the public pension system.   

According to the minister, within the next five years, public servants in the U8 salary scale, currently among the lowest paid, earning as little as 237,000 Shillings, will receive not less than 1.4 million  Shillings monthly. 

He explained that the phased adjustments are necessary due to limited national resources, forcing the government to prioritise critical sectors such as health and security before extending uniform increments across the board.

On the issue of political leaders in Local Governments, Mukasa acknowledged the existence of unpaid arrears, which he said will be settled in the next financial year. However, he accused some local government heads of withholding councillors’ allowances without justification.