We Are Tired Of Sleeping In Slums & Eating In Funny Places -Prosecutors

Batson Baguma, The President of Uganda Association of Prosecutors/Courtesy photo

Prosecutors under their umbrella body, Uganda Association of Prosecutors have today petitioned Speaker of Parliament,  Jacob Oulanyah decrying the deplorable working conditions, saying they are tired of sleeping in slums and eating in funny places, saying this is demeaning of their status as prosecutors.

 The plea was made by Batson Baguma, a Chief State Attorney, who also doubles as President of Uganda Prosecutors Association while petitioning Speaker seeking parliament intervention into their plight.

Baguma told the Speaker that Prosecutors cannot afford the basic necessities of life which exposes them to perilous temptations, embarrassment and lack of respect in society, including using boda boda.

“Many of our colleagues sleep in slums and eat in funny places which expose them to danger from criminals they prosecute. Prosecutors suffer the embarrassment of using boda bodas residing in slums, eating in contemptible hideouts and sometimes going without food. It is terrible mockery that a prosecutor at whatever rank is given Shs46,000 as lunch allowance for a whole month,” said Baguma.

The Prosecutors also lamented about the failure by President Museveni to meet with prosecutors, yet they have played a huge role in locking up criminals who tried to destablise his Government.

“We are concerned that ever since the 1995 constitution was enacted, the President has never visited the institution or found time to interact with his prosecutors who lock up criminals who seek to distablise his Government,” he said.
 

The prosecutors also complained about failure to receive promotions, arguing that most of the prosecutors have served in the same position without being promoted for between 10-22years despite the existence of very many unfilled positions in the structure.

According to Baguma, the Office of Director of Public Prosecution has 587 vacant positions at various ranks including; 179 principal state attorney, senior state attorney 162, Chief State Attorney 60, principal state prosecutor 74, senior state prosecutor 48 among others.

The prosecutors are also seeking salary enhancement and in the proposed new salary structures, the prosecutors want DPP to be paid Shs37,184,000, while Deputy DPPs Shs34,384,00 and Principal Assistant DPP Shs31,158,400.

They also want Senior Assistant DPP be paid Shs28,358,400, Assistant DPP Shs25,558,400, Chief State Attorney Shs22,258,400.

Additionally, Senior Principal State Attorney Shs19,958,400, Principal State Attorney Shs14M, Senior State Attorney Shs11M, Principal State Prosecutor Shs8.7M.

The prosecutors also want government to waive tax on salaries and other emoluments of prosecutors in accordance with the terms of the commitment letter with Baguma arguing that core agencies in criminal justice sector such as police, prisons and judiciary do not pay any tax, making prosecutors who are the gatekeepers of criminal justice to pay taxes in gross imbalance in the justice sector.

Since prosecutors are not permitted to practice their profession on private basic unlike the other professionals like doctors and engineers, the prosecutors want to be given Non practicing allowances.

Going forward, prosecutors are demanding to have DPP accorded respect at state functions to end the practice of not recognizing their presence at state functions because the ODPP is established by the constitution as an important office.

Speaker Oulanyah informed the prosecutors that their petition would be forwarded to Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for the prosecutors to articulate their issues before parliament takes a final decision.