Makerere says staff arrears sorted

Council Chair Dr Lorna Magara, who urged the university staff to be patient as the harmonisation process is completed, said the delays were due to the "rather complex" process "given the size of Makerere".

MAKERERE | The long-standing pay dispute at Makerere University has been sorted, the University Council chairperson Lorna Magara has said.

Dr Magara, who urged the university staff to be patient as the harmonisation process is completed, said the delays were due to the "rather complex" process "given the size of Makerere".

"Makerere is a very big institution compared to other universities, it has therefore taken us much longer to work through each individual staff dynamic - how each one fits in the new structure," she said.

Dr Magara was speaking to the Nile Post following Tuesday's resolution by the Joint Staff Association to withdraw their labour effective Monday, October 7, if the pay dispute was not resolved.

In the Tuesday meeting, the Joint Staff Association - which comprises the academic staff association, support staff association, and the National Union of Education Institutions - said they have waited long enough.

The pay dispute is long-standing thorn in the purse of the Makerere staff that got thornier when, in April, the government released Shs12.6 billion for harmonisation of the staff salaries.

Makerere was yet to implement the harmonisation.

The joint staff on Tuesday wrote to the Council chair detailing the many unfulfilled promises over the matter and indicating their resolve to withdraw their labour.

However, Dr Magara said the Appointments Board has finalised approvals for over 1,000 staff members affected by salary harmonisation.

"Letters are currently being issued to beneficiaries, and the corresponding salary increments will be paid with arrears from July 1, 2024," she said.

"The process took longer than expected due to the large number of staff, but it was thorough and inclusive, involving staff unions and representatives.

"Now that it's complete, we encourage all affected staff to focus on their duties."

The university administration has called for an urgent meeting at 3pm today (Wednesday).

Mr Yusuf Kiranda, the university secretary, said the meeting will discuss the implementation of salary harmonisation.

However, the timing of the meeting has left leaders of the protesting staffers in a fix. The meeting is scheduled for 3pm, which is the same time President Museveni will be installing Dr Crispus Kiyonga as Chancellor.

One of the staff leaders, speaking in confidence, told the Nile Post that although Mr Kiranda indicated that the Vice-Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe would meet them, it is his deputy would address the pay issue.