Masindi teachers storm municipal headquarters over pay
He appealed to teachers to report back to schools and teach, assuring them that they would be paid all the arrears before this month ends.
Masindi: Over 100 government teachers from different government primary schools stormed the Masindi Municipal Headquarters this morning over delayed pay.
According to teachers, though they were validated, they have gone three months without pay.
Evarse Basemera, a teacher at Kibwona Primary School, stressed that though many teachers were on the list of being deleted from payroll, some of them are getting salaries, so she is concerned about why a few of them are not being paid.
Eve Kusiima, a teacher at St. Edwards Primary School, said they have waited for feedback from municipal authorities but in vain, thus they want their salary.
She decries that banks are demanding that they and their children be housed at home due to delayed payments. ‘’I have loans from banks, banks, and other money lenders. I’m about to lose my properties because I don’t have money to repay the loan.’’
Lydia Kusiima, a teacher at St. Mary’s Kibwona Primary School, stressed they have stormed the municipal headquarters to find out why they are not paid. She added that her children are at home while other teachers are being paid.
Geoffrey Ojara, a teacher at St. Mary’s Kibwona Primary School told this publication that he went to the Ministry of Public Service after the validation exercise in order to be reinstated on payroll, but in vain.
Salim Kaahwa Kwesiga, the team leader, said that they have decided to petition the municipal authorities after efforts to reinstate the payroll yielded no fruit.
Kwesiga said that some teachers can’t travel to their workstations, some can’t pay school fees, and others can’t look after their families.
Ronald Businge Kyomuhendo, the Masindi Municipal Mayor, said that the issue is with the Ministry of Public Service, which is validation, adding that he is in touch with the ministry to ensure the issue is resolved.
He therefore asked teachers to go back to classes and teach, saying the issue would be resolved.
However, Francis Nyamugo, the Masindi Municipal Town Clerk, said that the finance and public service ministries have been accusing the accounting officers of paying ghost employees, so the auditor general had to intervene.
Nyamugo, after the auditor general’s report, over 110 staff from the municipality were deleted from the payroll. He clarified that the municipality does not manage the payroll, but they collaborate with the Ministry of Public Service.
The town clerk wrote to the ministry of public service to reinstate the deleted employees on the payroll, but they haven’t implemented it.
He appealed to teachers to report back to schools and teach, assuring them that they would be paid all the arrears before this month ends.
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