SALARY: Mao Promises Action, As Kisambira Faces Disciplinary

By DOREEN ASSASIRA

KAMPALA, Uganda [SHIFTMEDIA] Just hours after Stanely Kisambira, the Judiciary driver audio complaints regarding low remuneration, the authorities are beginning to act pretty fast.

The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, also President General of Democratic Party (DP) Norbert Mao has expressed the need for the government to establish a national salary and remuneration commission to address civil servants concerns.

Mao, who is also the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, said the commission would help to scrutinize and address the concern of public servants by determining civil servants’ pay according to what they do to address the current salary inequalities.

Mao’s call came amidst a concern that was raised by a driver employed by the Judiciary, Stanley Kisambira who in audio clips was heard complaining about salary disparities in the judiciary for drivers.

He expressed his dissatisfaction with earning Shs200,000 since joining the justice system in 2008. The judiciary acknowledged his concerns and provided clarification to shed light on the matter.

Maos’s call also comes at a time when medical workers under different categories had been protesting low and delayed salaries.

Speaking to the media in Kampala, Mao wants the investigation to start with his ministry.  He noted that Uganda should adopt the award system where employers pay their staff per hour or day.

He said this this will greatly help in addressing the issues of delayed payments among others.

“I am going to do it for the ministry of Justice because that docket is under my authority. We must pay you for the real work or else we will now have private companies that contracts driver per hour,” he said.

But he also warned civil servants that salary enhancements cannot solve all their personal problems.

In February this year, the Minister of Public Service, Wilson Muruli Mukasa, said the government was considering setting up a National Remuneration Review Board in the next financial year.

The proposed board will have seven members and will review the salaries of all civil servants including those in commissions.

Kisambira faces Disciplinary Action- PS

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary/ Secretary to the Judiciary, Pius Bigirimana, has revealed that Stanley Kisambira, the driver who went to social media and “told lies” about his salary emoluments with the intention to incite other drivers is going to answer for what he termed as unbecoming actions.

This prompted Police to arrest him over unspecified charges.

Now, Bigirimana says he has written to him demanding for explanation of why he failed to address his grievances with the Association of Drivers in the Judiciary.

“We are not going to leave him to tarnish the name of the Judiciary,” Bigirimana said.

He also accuses the driver of failure to inform his boss, Justice Geoffrey Namundi, and in addition to failing to inform the Permanent Secretary himself, he instead chose to tarnish the good name of the Judiciary.

Bigirimana made the revelation Wednesday while addressing journalists at the Judiciary headquarters in Kampala.

“Explain why you told the public that the Judiciary is not taking good care of you,” Bigirimana demands.

The PS further clarified that like other drivers in other ministries, Kisambira is paid over Shs1.3 million and not Shs200,000 as he stated in the audio that went viral on social media.

Bigirimana suspects that there are other sources behind Kisambira’s actions that he must disclose, or else face disciplinary action for giving false information to the public and inciting other drivers to harm their bosses.