UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | A group of employees at the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development has reported that they have not received their salaries for the past three months, shedding light on a growing issue regarding ministry staff salaries.
These workers, totalling 108 individuals, encompass various roles within the ministry, including IT officers, assistant IT officers, dispatch clerks, drivers, records officers, assistant records officers, and communication officers.
The workers’ salaries are categorised under U4, U5, and U8 scales, as per the Public Service Ministry’s structure.
For instance, IT officers and their assistants, classified as scientists, receive monthly wages of USh4 million and USh2 million, respectively.
In contrast, other staff members earn between USh180,000 and USh1.2 million, depending on their positions. Though the exact total amount of outstanding salaries is not clear, it is evident that a significant portion of the staff has faced payment issues.
In a hand-written petition dated October 16, the affected workers reached out to Members of Parliament, seeking assistance with their grievances.
The letter states, “We reached a decision to petition your office after exploring all means at our disposal to get an explanation…As we speak, our landlords are threatening to throw us out of houses.”
While Charles Bakkabulindi, a workers’ MP, confirmed receipt of the petition, he expressed his commitment to following up on the matter to address the concerns raised by the ministry staff.
Denis Obbo, the Ministry of Lands spokesperson, acknowledged the salary payment delays, citing the transition from the previous payment system to a new decentralised human capital system as the source of the problem.
He explained that system failures during the transition affected some employees’ salaries. However, he assured the workers that the ministry had held discussions with the Public Service Ministry, and all staff members would receive their due payments in a few days.
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