Makerere university council approves 100% pay rise for lecturers

The three days strike by Makerere university staff ended successfully after the university council approved 100% pay rise for lecturers. Lecturers and other staff could not hide their happiness on hearing the long awaited news.

“I share the concerns of staff to increase the salaries by 100%. Their demand is justifiable. We need a better remuneration for all Makerere University staff,”  the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ddumba Ssentamu  said in the meeting.

The university spokesperson Ritah Namisango said in a statement that a fresh budget for financial year 2013/2014 with the 100% salary increment would be forwarded to the ministry of education.

The budget, if approved by the ministry and Parliament, will push the university’s wage bill to sh130b, up from the current sh65b.

It means that a professor, the highest paid academic, who earns a gross monthly salary of sh2.9m, will earn close to sh6m. The salary for a teaching assistant, the lowest paid academic, will rise from sh1.4m to sh2.8m.

However, the burden of the 100% pay rise might force the oldest university to increase tuition fees for students in the coming academic year.