Busia teachers storm council sitting over unpaid salaries

Mr Samson Wanyama Wafula, a teacher at Buwembe Secondary School, who led the group of teachers to the council hall last week, said majority of them had missed their November salaries, while all tutors were yet to receive their December salaries.

“We have come here to register our grievances over non-payment of our salaries. Many of us did not receive November salaries and are not sure whether we shall get the December pay,” he said.

The salary delay, according to Mr Wafula, was a problem orchestrated by Busia District authorities. He said his colleagues in other districts reportedly told him that December salary was already credited on their accounts.

He said it was disgusting that they were not paid, especially during the festive season when they needed to have money to buy basics for their families and close relatives in this long holiday.

The district council had convened to approve supplementary budgets and elect committee members. However, while in the council hall, the teachers remained standing in the gallery, which drew the attention of the councillors and Speaker Malowa Kudedi, who ruled that they (teachers) get seated but they objected.

“Speaker, we cannot continue with deliberations when our teachers have key concerns. They did not receive their November salaries and have no hope of getting paid for December,” Mr Moses Kibedi, the district youth male councillor, said.

In his submission, Mr Kibedi said the issue of teachers’ salaries should be treated with “urgency”. He suggested that council adjourns so that the executive is given time to sit and approve more than Shs700m so that the teachers are paid.

Mr Kibedi was supported by Mr Stanley Wejuli, who said the district chairman, Mr Stephen Wasike Mugeni, and his executive be allowed to approve the teachers’ pay.

But as the councillors advocated that the council adjourns to allow the executive to approve teachers’ salaries, Mr Mugeni sprung to his feet, saying he would not heed to the councillors’ request, adding that the money was for recruiting and paying health department staff.

Mr Wejuli, however, thought Mr Mugeni was being “insensitive” about the plight of teachers and described Mr Mugeni’s narrative as “baseless”.

“Money meant for salaries is no longer kept on district accounts. So, for the district chairman to say money meant for teachers’ salaries has been embezzled is laughable,” he said.

Mr Felix Alex Majeme, the Busia District chief administrative officer, declined to comment on the matter.

Mr Charles Mungala, one of the affected teachers, said he was going through “the worst times”, adding that his landlord was threatening to evict him due to rent arrears, while putting food on the table had become very hard.

Mr Gerald Musisi, another teacher, said he chose the wrong profession, saying whereas civil servants in other departments had received salaries for November and December, teachers were “starving”.

[email protected]