Gulu University Academic Staff Strike Over Salary Increment

Academic staff at Gulu University have laid down their tools to push for salary increment. The over lecturers under their umbrella Gulu University Academic Staff Association (GUASA) laid down their tools this morning, saying they will not resume until they receive communication from the government.   

 

Carlos Ojok, the GUASA General Secretary told URN that they cannot offer their services to students yet their demands are not being fulfilled. He disclosed that the teaching staff will report at their duty station but will not enter lecture rooms, adding that the strike will last until their demand is addressed. 

Ojok explained that the strike stems from the failure of the Ministry of Education and Sports and Ministry of Finance to increase their salaries as directed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in 2015. He explains that they have sent communication to the Forum for Academic Staff Association in Public Universities (FASPU) chaired by Deus Kamunyu and Gulu University Vice Chancellor. 

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Walter Okot, the GUASA Chairperson notes their General Assembly, which met on Friday last week resolve that they lay down their tools because of disparities in salary enhancement since 2019.  

James Onono Ojok, the Gulu University Assistant Public Relations Officer confirmed the teaching strike by the teaching staff. He, however, says the strike has yet affected the operations of the university because students are only reporting. 

The FASPU Chairperson, Deus Kamunyu said that the academic staff are demanding that the government release Shillings 129.24 billion for full enhancement of their salaries at all public universities noting that the strike will spread across all public universities. 

In 2015, President Yoweri Museveni promised to increase the salaries of teaching staff in all public universities.  The development would see a professor earn Shillings 15 million and a senior lecturer Shillings 12.2 million.  

However, the government phased the implementation of the directive for five years.  In the 2020/2021 Financial Year, the government released Shillings 50 billion, which was only meant for professors and associate professors who got 100 per cent increment and now earn Shillings 15 million. The remaining staff haven’t got their enhancement.