The government has declared the ongoing strike by teachers and the newly launched industrial action by local government workers illegal, warning that those who do not return to duty risk being treated as having “abandoned duty.”
In a statement issued Thursday morning, Public Service minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa said the strikes undermine ongoing negotiations on salary enhancements and violate procedures laid out under the Public Service Negotiating and Consultative Council.
“The commencement of industrial action by some teachers on 15th September 2025 and the planned industrial action by Local Government workers from 1st October 2025, when discussions have not even started, is uncalled for and jeopardizes the cordial relationship the government has enjoyed with the Labour Unions,” Muruli Mukasa said.
Teachers across the country have been on strike for more than two weeks, while local government workers joined the industrial action this week, demanding immediate salary enhancements.
According to figures from the Public Service ministry, 125,276 public officers have benefited from salary adjustments since 2017/2018, with teachers among the priority groups.
Currently, 77 per cent of public officers earn in line with the long-term pay targets, although 66 per cent have not received any increment since 2014/2015. The minister emphasized that President Museveni remains committed to a phased salary enhancement programme, including a 25 per cent increment for humanity teachers in the 2026/2027 financial year.
Requirements for salary adjustments across teachers, public universities, and other underpaid officers have already been submitted to the ministry of Finance for consideration in the coming budget.
“In view of the above, the 90-day notice contained in your letters does not meet the legal requirements. Accordingly, any plans by your unions to proceed with industrial action under the circumstances are illegal and should not be pursued,” Muruli Mukasa warned.
He directed teachers and local government workers to return to work within one week.
“You are hereby enjoined to call off the industrial action, and for your members…to resume duty immediately and not beyond one week, or else you will be regarded as having abandoned duty and resigned accordingly,” his statement read.
Chief Administrative Officers, town clerks, district education officers, and resident district/city commissioners have been tasked with monitoring compliance and reporting officers who defy the directive.
Baaba mululi abantu bataka sente, iwe otyo wokola abaana bo, abandi olwati abandi nebalya next week? Such threats can’t work
You go to any class and teach literature of economics if you ts simple. You issue threats in English why don’t you give ur threats in biology, or physics,
Give the teacher money
But instead of issuing threats and criminalizing the discriminated against, overworked and underpaid School teachers; why can’t the Muruli Mukasa of this country become patriotic and go teach in the despicable government schools, for a less than Shs.400,000 (four hundred thousand only) a month?
As president and current Minister of Education; if her husband had not got and keep their current jobs/positions at gun point, would Her Majesty, Janet Kataha (BA Education) continue to teach in a Secondary for less than Shs.600,000 (six hundred thousand only) a month?
Just asking.
Otherwise, if she was NOT a Minister of Education, Madam Teacher, Kataha would also be picketing under the Leadership of Mr. Baguma over the salary disparity crisis; unilaterally created by none other than her husband, our CURRENT PROBLEM OF AFRICA, Gen Tibuhaburwa.
Wachireba?
Fellow teachers and local govt workers, no government anywhere in the world will accept to be arm twisted through your kind of strike. If you succeed, then all and sundry will emulate and use a similar method to force redress of their grievances. Please pick up the tools of your trade. My heart and thoughts are with the poor learner/child who is gonna be put way behind in the race of life. Thieves of public resources/money and well-remunerated folks have their children either in private schools or abroad.
Although I am all in for an equitable and just society, consequences of actions must be carefully analyzed. I advise teachers and poorly paid civil servants to run for elective offices at all levels across the country. If they get successful, then they will influence public policy.
I comment with an independent mind. I am neither in govt nor associated with anyone in it. I transferred my labor out of Uganda. My push factor was tribalism by the supervisor(s).
One believes that this Minister is well aware of how all the Union leaders of the Uganda workers belong to the political party of the NRM. It is a disgrace for these NRM union diehard to be formulating national workers’ strikes at this time when the national elections are clearly getting rigged again to elect the long serving NRM chairman to lead this country now for many years and counting! It is a confused lot of these union leadership to demand better wages else where, when their politics all along have refused this country to come out and pay an average worker an official or universal minimum wage!
Mr. Muruli Mukasa, you were, at one time a secondary and high school teacher before your star became so bright and your late successes seeing you changing ministerial positions in an eternal government in which you have and are eternally still serving. Your well-being is being taken care of by poor men in the villages planting coffee and hard working members of the civil service and other public servants like teachers, doctors, nurses , bus drivers and so on and so forth. Please try to put yourself in the shoes of these committed and dedicated service men and women who only wish to have salaries that can allow them lead a dignified life in their own country. Empathy should be a value to be respected and upheld even by men and women in power like you Mr. Muruli Mukasa.
George M.Kigozi (Berlin, Germany)