Health workers seek relief with passage of Minimum Wage Bill

KAMPALA - The Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union (UNMU) is calling on the government to pass the Minimum Wage Bill to ensure that salary enhancements are provided for those who upgrade their professional qualifications.

UNMU president Justus Cherop Kiplangant stated that health workers have advanced in their careers but remain stagnated on the same pay scale after graduation.

Cherop made these remarks while delivering his end-of-year address at Mulago Guest House in Kampala on December 28, 2024.

“We demand automatic promotion for health workers after graduation and registration with the Nurses Council to the next level. This will prevent health workers from having to go through interviews with Public Service as if they never attended school,” Cherop said.

He noted that over 6,000 nurses and midwives graduate annually from various institutions. However, since 2004, more than 2,000 have sought greener pastures abroad.

The increasing workload of health workers is not matched by corresponding promotions, he added.

“This kind of treatment of health workers does not happen in other professions but instead it has led some of their members [to] sneak out of the country for green pastures abroad as maids instead of going through the Health Council for proper employment,” he said.

UNMU members also voiced their preference for the government to cease taxing their lunch allowances.

“In 2018, we received a four percent salary enhancement as lunch allowance under the directive of President Yoweri Museveni, but this was reduced through taxation. Why tax an allowance which is an appreciation of one’s work?” he asserted.

Annet Birungi, the general secretary and board member at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), emphasised the importance of the minimum wage for workers to receive what they deserve for their contribution to employers. 

She noted, however, that in many districts, particularly in local governments, there is a preference for hiring people on lower salaries to avoid straining their budgets.

The President Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union (UNMU), Cherop Kiplangant (R) and Annet Birungi, the General Secretary and also a board member of the National Social Security Fund address a press conference at Mulago Guest House in Kampala. (Credit: Wilfred Sanya)

Birungi explained that districts often avoid advertising posts for higher-earning professionals, instead waiting for vacancies to arise over time.

“Workers should be paid salaries according to their academic qualifications,” she said, adding that even the Ministry of Health does not highlight employment for professionals with higher qualifications.

Currently, an enrolled nurse earns sh1.42 million, a registered nurse earns sh2.6 million, and a nurse with a degree earns sh4.4 million, all of which are consolidated with lunch allowances that are taxed with a 30 percent deduction for Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Birungi pointed out.

One of UNMU’s significant achievements this year was acquiring a 10-acre piece of land in Kayanja, Mukono, to construct a Nurses and Midwives University. The university will help address the skills gap in healthcare delivery for nurses, midwives, and doctors, she explained.

Birungi added that they have signed agreements with the Japanese Nurses Association and the Chinese Nurses Association to establish this specialised university, offering advanced skills to the health fraternity.

Workers' MP responds

In a telephone interview on Sunday, Workers’ MP Arinaitwe Rwakajara explained that the Minimum Wage Bill was passed by Parliament in 2019 under the leadership of Rebecca Kadaga, but President Museveni rejected it, and it was returned to Parliament.
Rwakajara shared that he recently approached Speaker Anita Among about the matter but was advised it would be handled next year.

Minister of Public Service Muruli Mukasa, speaking in Parliament in August this year, explained that salary enhancements were guided by a Cabinet resolution from 2017 and would be implemented in a five-year phased manner.

“Cabinet approved the Public Service pay policy principles as well as a five-year pay plan covering every person paid salaries or allowances from the consolidated fund or out of money appropriated by Parliament,” said Mukasa.