The State Minister for Finance, Henry Ariganyira Musasizi, State Minister for finance, and Gideon Akampurira, the Rukiga District Councilor representing Bukinda sub-county clashed over the teachers’ strike.
Teachers under the Uganda National Teachers Union-UNATU started a nationwide strike on June 15, in protest of the government’s decision to raise the pay for certain teachers in violation of past agreements that guaranteed equality and harmonization of salaries for all teachers.
Musasizi, who is the Rubanda East County Member of Parliament in Rubanda district clashed with Akampurira, on Friday, during the launch of the Parish Development Model (PDM) in the Kigezi region at Rushebeya market, Rwamucucu sub-county.
Akampurira, started protesting, immediately after David Bahati, State Minister for Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives had finished speaking.
Akampurira protested why top government officials led by President Yoweri Museveni are not addressing the grievances of teachers.
Akampurira openly told Musasizi and Bahati that he will mobilize parents and stage a demonstration next week on Wednesday if the government does not increase the salary of teachers.
Musasizi grabbed a microphone and accused Akampurira of raising the teachers’ issue at a wrong function and dared Akampurira to protest. He said that although Akampurira organizes a protest, the demands of the teachers will not be addressed in this financial year.
Joshua Mutabarura and Kwarikunda Michael Mbareeba expressed skepticism about the program’s progress yet the country is struggling with inflation.
They also wondered how PDM will help in eradicating poverty yet other government programs like Prosperity for All (Boona Bageigahae), Emyooga, Entandikwa, and Community Driven Development Fund (CDD), Operation Wealth Creation, and the Youth Livelihood Find (YLP) among others have failed.
But, Bahati defended the program saying that the money is not meant to be given to individuals but to households with strict guidelines.
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