You’re A Disgrace To The Voiceless Teachers Who Trusted You- Angry Striking Teachers Blast UNATU Leadership For Calling Off Strike After Allegedly Pocketing Bribes
By Uganda Online Media
Kampala: Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) leadership including secretary general Filbert Bates Baguma and chairperson Zadok Tumuhimbise, are currently on the spot following accusations of pocketing millions of money in bribes to call off the strike.
Arts teachers who have been on strike since early last month over salary increments have accused their leaders of allegedly betraying them after taking bribes from the government and calling off the industrial action without any deal which is contrary to what they had agreed.
The teachers’ angry reactions follow a decision by UNATU leaders to call off the strike after meeting President Museveni and the first lady who also doubles as the minister for education and sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala yesterday.
According to Baguma, the meeting represented the majority views of Ugandan teachers and resolved to end the strike however, some teachers wanted the strike to continue until their salaries are enhanced.
Here are some of the reactions from the teachers following UNATU’s announcement.
I had some Hope in you Baguma but it’s gone. You Guys must have been Bribed. So on meeting M7 You forgot about “No Money No Class”. You’re a disgrace to the voiceless Teachers out there. Rukundo Richard
Continue making profits over us, the end has justified the means. Most of us have plan B. Orishaba Jaspa
Very embarrassing…. teachers will forever be ashamed in this country. Nobody will ever take them seriously. Our pride and confidence are all gone. The art teachers will forever be inferior and ashamed. Sad. We would have continued with the strike until the government sees this matter as of concern. Come from such a strike, we went into with all our hearts and it bears no fruits is sad. I want to disassociate myself with your leadership and soon with the government upon my services if all I am planning comes to pass. – Atandu Sunday
Teachers need psychological help……our morale is totally shuttered….we hold this. – Jonan Gift Kushaba
Unatu is very useless, you invited chairpersons on our behalf and money and later sold us to president and you came up with a stupid decision. Couldn’t the president invite the latter on his own minus you inviting them for him? – Remigio M-cee Tumushabe
UNATU PLEASE SEND ME THE WAY TO BE DECODED FROM THE MONTHLY PAYMENT of my membership subscription better to save little you are deducting to for myself and my family. It’s urgent please treat it as matter of urgency – Abala Pa Maa Amos
I have resolved to leave this union – Nuwagira Aggrey Byamugisha
We’re Quitting Unatu With Immediate Effect – Nick Pro
How are we going to face learners after coming out as losers? Students and parents will continue underlooking us coz they had less respect for teachers before. – Biira Immaculate
So sad for sure! We struggled for nothing. I heard you talking of an innocent learner. Didn’t you know earlier that the learner was there? “Mbu no money, no class.” Game over. – Gastone Tumwijukye.
Arts teachers announced their industrial action on June 15, 2022, over what they called a discriminatory salary rise.
Arts teachers want the government to enhance their pay in this financial year to be equal to that of their science counterparts.
The government enhanced the salary of a degree-holder science teacher from Shs 1.2 million to Shs 4 million. A diploma-holder science teacher’s salary was also enhanced to Shs 3m.
All this while the salary of an Arts teacher was set to remain at Shs 1.08 million for a degree-holder while diploma-holder arts teacher at the secondary school level will continue getting Shs 795,000.
In a June 22, 2022 letter to the UNATU General Secretary, Ministry of Public Service Permanent Secretary Catherine Bitarakwate said that whereas the government is committed to ensuring salary enhancement for all teachers, irrespective of the disciplines, this can not be met currently because of the scarce resources.