State Prosecutors have threatened to lay down their tools if Uganda government fails to remit its promise of salary increase
The State Prosecutors in Uganda have threatened to lay down their tools if the government fails to remit its promise of salary increase, staff promotions, and tax waiver allowances made earlier by the former Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Gen Kahinda Otaffire.
This was during the first visit of the current Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ephraim Kamuntu to the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Kamuntu was received by the Permanent Secretary and after holding a meeting with the entire technical staff at the directorate.
Their president, Baston Baguma informed Kamuntu that anytime prosecutors will lay down tools if the government fails to fulfil its earlier pledges.
“Government actions have further aggravated our members’ discontent and could lead to another industrial action. Hon Minister, my members have asked me to tell you that they are actually to strike again, they are only waiting for me to blow the whistle,” Baguma said.
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Reacting, Minister Kamuntu also threatened to throw a whip on some incompetent prosecutors who always loose cases dragging the government into higher compensation expenditures.
“If for every 100 cases, you are only winning 40 you would see that these people have reasoned. Like he has said you have competent, very qualified people, why then would they be losing more cases than they are winning,” Kamuntu reasoned.
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In 2017, prosecutors in Uganda laid down their tools demanding a minimum salary of the lower-ranking officials to be raised to at least 9m; government committed to their demand in writing but has never fulfilled it.
Now in their argument, their pay is low compared to their fellow learned friends deployed in other government sectors.
But the minister reminded them of the need to have a positive work attitude.
“The remuneration for prosecutors has always been abnormally below what our colleagues in other sister institutions earn. Examples of such institutions include; IGG, URSB, Electoral Commission,” Baguma said.
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However, Minister Kamuntu reminded them of the need to have a positive work attitude.
“Money will never be enough I can tell you as an economist. Money should be scarce! If it was in plenty it would lose its value, am sorry! But the attitude I am appealing to is you, do the best with what you have,” Kamuntu said.
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