I earn only Shs3.6m: Museveni to workers demanding for pay raise

President Museveni has poured cold water on the demands from civil servants for pay raise.

Museveni was speaking at labor day celebrations in Ssembabule district when he made the statement. The President said, that salary is not a show of authority, calling upon workers to emulate him and his bush war comrades who have served the country tirelessly for peanuts.

“I am the president of Uganda, I get a low pay- Shs3.6m, this I accepted in 1996 because the MPs tricked me. I was getting Shs150,000 before. Authority does not depend on salary; I have authority even with the low pay. Don’t bring those nonsensical arguments,” he said.

He however, defended the decision to increase salaries for workers in the science sector including teachers, arguing that they are hard to replace should they chose to leave.

“We are not against paying the others but if we don’t have enough money now, should we say that we pay no body? Or if we have some money whom do we start with, we chose science people because it is very difficult to retain them,” he said.

Museveni’s comments were sparked by National Organisation of Trade Unions chairman general Usher Wilson Owere who had implored him to have second thoughts on the Cuban Doctors issue and also called upon the President to increase salaries for workers

“Why don’t we pay that Shs 5million (meant for Cuban doctors) to Ugandan health workers? These people in government are looking for kickback and not improving service delivery. We should ensure public servants are well paid and motivated. We know you mean well for this country and I hope you won’t be misled,” he said.

Museveni asked Owere to use experience to justify calls for salary increments. Museveni said that salaries must be talked about in a whole context and not in isolation. He asked people to wait for infrastructure for pay raise.

“Oweri is saying I should stop making roads and give people salary, I am telling him that we don’t have that money yet.”