Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe giving his speech
Makerere University Vice
Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has announced the successful completion of
the long-awaited staff salary harmonization process, which aims to address pay
disparities across the institution.
Speaking during the ongoing
graduation ceremony at the university’s Freedom Square, Prof. Nawangwe
confirmed that the process was now complete, with harmonized salaries set to be
paid starting this month.
“We wish to thank the Government
for availing the required resources to finally resolve the matter of salary
inequality...Salary harmonization is now complete, and members of staff will
receive their harmonized salaries, starting with the January salary,” Nawangwe
said.
For years, Makerere’s
staff—regarded as the country’s premier university—have been paid less than
their counterparts at other public universities. In many cases, staff at
Makerere with similar qualifications have earned significantly lower salaries
than their peers in other institutions. Some Makerere staff have been reported
to earn as little as half of what their counterparts in other universities are
paid, prompting multiple demonstrations over the years.
In April last year, the
government allocated Shs 61 billion to harmonize the salaries of staff in
public universities, providing hope for a resolution at Makerere. The
university was allocated Shs 12.6 billion as part of the plan. However, staff
were left frustrated when the funds were not disbursed as expected, with university
management citing unclear communication. The lack of clarity led to unrest,
culminating in a strike in October last year that disrupted the daily
operations of the university.
Despite the announcement by
Prof. Nawangwe, staff remain skeptical. The Makerere University Academic Staff
Association (MUASA), led by chairperson Dr. Robert Kakuru, has called for a
meeting to discuss the matter further. Kakuru expressed that staff expect to
see the harmonized salaries reflected in their pay before January 28.
"Staff expect harmonized
salaries before January 28. We have a joint general assembly on January 28 at 2
p.m. to review the status and forge a way forward," Kakuru told Uganda
Radio Network.
The harmonized salary structure,
according to the announcement, includes Vice-Chancellors earning 20 million
Shillings, Deputy Vice-Chancellors 17.5 million Shillings, Professors 15.6
million Shillings, and Associate Professors 14.8 million Shillings. Senior
Lecturers in the sciences will receive 9 million Shillings, while Lecturers
will earn 8.1 million Shillings, Assistant Lecturers 6.6 million Shillings, and
Teaching Assistants 5.7 million Shillings. In the humanities, Senior Lecturers
will receive 8.2 million Shillings, Lecturers 7.6 million Shillings, and
Assistant Lecturers 5.9 million Shillings.