The deceased has been identified as Thomas Weyansya, 23. He collapsed during the physical fitness test on Friday and died from Iganga main hospital on Friday evening. Wayansya was a resident of Naluwerere in Bugiri municipality in Bugiri District.

On Friday, he was among hundreds of jobless youths who had turned up for an interview to join the UPDF.

After finishing the road run of about 5 kilometres, Weyansya reportedly collapsed and he was rushed to Iganga Main Hospital for treatment where he was pronounced dead.The recruits were subjected to the run to prove their physical fitness before they could be absorbed into the army.

In a telephone interview with Nile post, Maj Charles Kabona, the UPDF 1st Division spokesperson, confirmed the incident but said the army will not compensate his family since the deceased had not yet been recruited.“Because we have not yet taken him over, we have no docket for that compensation,” Kabona told our reporter.

UPDF is currently conducting a countrywide recruitment exercise in which more than 10,000 recruits will join the national army.

Majority of the youths also fainted and were turned away on health grounds during the physical fitness exercises.

However, some of the youths who were turned away who spoke on condition of anonymity said the exercise was not free and fair since recruits are not given chance to defend themselves especially when it comes to issues of health.

KAKWENZA PETITIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OVER HIS CHILDREN’S PASSPORTS
Exiled novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has petitioned the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) accusing the passport office of violating the rights of his children to own a passport.

In his June 20, 2022 petition filed by counsel Eron Kiiza, Kakwenza says that his three children namely Rutakirwa Mugabe Kakwenza aged 2 years, Siima Nyinaboona Kakwenza, 4, and Nina Kayitesti Kakwenza, 9, applied for express passports, submitted all the relevant documents and attended the mandatory interviews in March 2022.

“Despite the children, their parents, and their lawyers religiously following up the citizens’ application for passports since March, the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control has refused to grant the children of Kakwenza Rukirabashaija their passports contrary to article 29 (2) of the Constitution the Republic of Uganda and Section 39 of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, Cap 66 which guarantees the right to every Ugandan citizen to a passport,” reads the letter.

He explains that no reason has been given to date for the delay in granting the passports to the said children yet other Ugandan citizens continue getting their passports. Express passports are usually issued within a week, depending on the number of applicants.

“This is to draw your attention to the human rights violations and injustice against the children and seek your immediate intervention to enable them to receive their passports and further their dreams without being marginalized” the letter further reads.

However, Simon Mundeyi, the Internal Affairs ministry spokesperson, says that he is not aware of any application by Kakwenza’s children and that if indeed they applied, they should avail all their application details to the Immigration Control office for follow-up.

“There is no way we can work on an application we don’t have. Whatever Kakwenza did, doesn’t affect the children, they are innocent. Even Kakwenza himself has a passport. If one is a Ugandan and hence qualifies for a passport, there is no way they can be denied one,” said Mundeyi.

Kakwenza, who is currently in Germany was arrested on December 28, 2021, for allegedly abusing the first son, Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and his father, President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni through his social media posts. He was reportedly tortured under the supervision of Muhoozi. He fled the country after being released on bail, saying he needed urgent treatment, which he couldn’t access in Uganda.

Ever since he left, Kakwenza has filed several petitions including one before the East African Court of Justice alleging human rights violations and the Judicial Service Commission where he accused Dr Douglas Singiza, now an acting High court judge of exhibiting a level of unprofessionalism while handling his case in Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s court.

RETUTN TO CLASS OR GET SCRAPPED OFF THE PAYROLL” GOVT TO STRIKING TEACHERS.
The government has ordered the striking teachers to return to their duty stations by June 24 without fail or risk being scrapped off the payrolls. The Public Service Ministry Permanent Secretary, Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, communicated the decision in her letter to the Uganda National Teachers Union-UNATU, which announced the industrial action.

In her letter, Bitarakwate notes that whereas teachers, just like all other government employees, have the right and freedom to withdraw their labor, the union neither gave the government notice of the strike nor exhausted the dispute settlement mechanisms as required by the public service negotiating, consultative, and dispute settlement Machinery Act.

“The claim that the strike has been ongoing since 2019 and hence there was no need for a new notice is both fallacious and not legally tenable.” Secondly, we have noticed with concern that you and your members have decided to close schools. “We wish to advise you that no teacher, whether on strike or not, has a right or justification to close a public school,” the June 22, 2022 letter reads in part.While declaring the industrial action last week, the UNATU leadership noted that this was a continuation of their strike that was suspended in 2019 when the government promised to work on their demands agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement that was signed in 2018.

“… Regrettably, to date, no positive response has been received from the government. “It is important to note that our industrial action that started in 2019 over the same issue was only suspended pending the full implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” UNATU’s letter to its members announcing the industrial action read.

The current strike resulted from the government’s decision to increase the pay for science teachers by nearly 300 percent, in disregard of their colleagues in the arts and humanities. The increment saw the government increase the pay for graduate and grade V science teachers to Shillings 4 million and Shillings 3 million, up from Shillings 1.1 million and Shillings 796,000, respectively.

With over 120,000 teachers dropping chalk and refusing to attend lessons, the government hurriedly called for a dialogue meeting over the weekend to find a quick solution. Both President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his wife and Minister of Education and Sport, Janet Kataaha Museveni, attended the meeting.

During the meeting, teachers, under the slogan “All Teachers Matter,” tabled their demands for pay equity and harmonisation among teachers of various subjects, support staff, and school administrators at all levels of education. However, after hours of dialogue without any concrete results, the teachers resolved to continue with their industrial action despite overtures for reconsideration from the President.

As earlier communicated, the permanent secretary reechoed the teacher’s demands for a pay rise, which cannot be addressed in the coming financial year, whose budget has already been approved and passed. Those who are unable to work under the current conditions are free to resign.

She also emphasises that all schools are expected to be open and operational without fail by Monday next week, advising teachers who do not agree with the available options as suggested by the government to seek legal redress.

“By copy of this letter, the chief administrative officer and town clerk are called upon to take stock of the teachers present and submit absent teachers by June 30, for eventual removal from the payroll,” she writes.

Filbert Baguma, the UNATU secretary-general, noted that they have received the letter but it changes nothing. Baguma added that the claim that their industrial action is illegal is ungrounded, thus calling on teachers not to panic over the intimidation of being scrapped off the payroll.

If it were distributed equally across the board to the 169, 000 teaching staff, it would mean that each teacher would get an additional 46,800/-per month. It should be noted that UNATU has already proposed a salary increase plan for all teachers and other staff. According to UNATU’s draft, secondary school and primary school head teachers should receive shillings 10 million and shillings 4.5 million, respectively.

RETUTN TO CLASS OR GET SCRAPPED OFF THE PAYROLL” GOVT TO STRIKING TEACHERS.
The government has ordered the striking teachers to return to their duty stations by June 24 without fail or risk being scrapped off the payrolls. The Public Service Ministry Permanent Secretary, Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, communicated the decision in her letter to the Uganda National Teachers Union-UNATU, which announced the industrial action.

In her letter, Bitarakwate notes that whereas teachers, just like all other government employees, have the right and freedom to withdraw their labor, the union neither gave the government notice of the strike nor exhausted the dispute settlement mechanisms as required by the public service negotiating, consultative, and dispute settlement Machinery Act.

“The claim that the strike has been ongoing since 2019 and hence there was no need for a new notice is both fallacious and not legally tenable.” Secondly, we have noticed with concern that you and your members have decided to close schools. “We wish to advise you that no teacher, whether on strike or not, has a right or justification to close a public school,” the June 22, 2022 letter reads in part.While declaring the industrial action last week, the UNATU leadership noted that this was a continuation of their strike that was suspended in 2019 when the government promised to work on their demands agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement that was signed in 2018.

“… Regrettably, to date, no positive response has been received from the government. “It is important to note that our industrial action that started in 2019 over the same issue was only suspended pending the full implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” UNATU’s letter to its members announcing the industrial action read.

The current strike resulted from the government’s decision to increase the pay for science teachers by nearly 300 percent, in disregard of their colleagues in the arts and humanities. The increment saw the government increase the pay for graduate and grade V science teachers to Shillings 4 million and Shillings 3 million, up from Shillings 1.1 million and Shillings 796,000, respectively.

With over 120,000 teachers dropping chalk and refusing to attend lessons, the government hurriedly called for a dialogue meeting over the weekend to find a quick solution. Both President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his wife and Minister of Education and Sport, Janet Kataaha Museveni, attended the meeting.

During the meeting, teachers, under the slogan “All Teachers Matter,” tabled their demands for pay equity and harmonisation among teachers of various subjects, support staff, and school administrators at all levels of education. However, after hours of dialogue without any concrete results, the teachers resolved to continue with their industrial action despite overtures for reconsideration from the President.

As earlier communicated, the permanent secretary reechoed the teacher’s demands for a pay rise, which cannot be addressed in the coming financial year, whose budget has already been approved and passed. Those who are unable to work under the current conditions are free to resign.

She also emphasises that all schools are expected to be open and operational without fail by Monday next week, advising teachers who do not agree with the available options as suggested by the government to seek legal redress.

“By copy of this letter, the chief administrative officer and town clerk are called upon to take stock of the teachers present and submit absent teachers by June 30, for eventual removal from the payroll,” she writes.

Filbert Baguma, the UNATU secretary-general, noted that they have received the letter but it changes nothing. Baguma added that the claim that their industrial action is illegal is ungrounded, thus calling on teachers not to panic over the intimidation of being scrapped off the payroll.

If it were distributed equally across the board to the 169, 000 teaching staff, it would mean that each teacher would get an additional 46,800/-per month. It should be noted that UNATU has already proposed a salary increase plan for all teachers and other staff. According to UNATU’s draft, secondary school and primary school head teachers should receive shillings 10 million and shillings 4.5 million, respectively.

RETUTN TO CLASS OR GET SCRAPPED OFF THE PAYROLL” GOVT TO STRIKING TEACHERS.
The government has ordered the striking teachers to return to their duty stations by June 24 without fail or risk being scrapped off the payrolls. The Public Service Ministry Permanent Secretary, Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, communicated the decision in her letter to the Uganda National Teachers Union-UNATU, which announced the industrial action.

In her letter, Bitarakwate notes that whereas teachers, just like all other government employees, have the right and freedom to withdraw their labor, the union neither gave the government notice of the strike nor exhausted the dispute settlement mechanisms as required by the public service negotiating, consultative, and dispute settlement Machinery Act.

“The claim that the strike has been ongoing since 2019 and hence there was no need for a new notice is both fallacious and not legally tenable.” Secondly, we have noticed with concern that you and your members have decided to close schools. “We wish to advise you that no teacher, whether on strike or not, has a right or justification to close a public school,” the June 22, 2022 letter reads in part.While declaring the industrial action last week, the UNATU leadership noted that this was a continuation of their strike that was suspended in 2019 when the government promised to work on their demands agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement that was signed in 2018.

“… Regrettably, to date, no positive response has been received from the government. “It is important to note that our industrial action that started in 2019 over the same issue was only suspended pending the full implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” UNATU’s letter to its members announcing the industrial action read.

The current strike resulted from the government’s decision to increase the pay for science teachers by nearly 300 percent, in disregard of their colleagues in the arts and humanities. The increment saw the government increase the pay for graduate and grade V science teachers to Shillings 4 million and Shillings 3 million, up from Shillings 1.1 million and Shillings 796,000, respectively.

With over 120,000 teachers dropping chalk and refusing to attend lessons, the government hurriedly called for a dialogue meeting over the weekend to find a quick solution. Both President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his wife and Minister of Education and Sport, Janet Kataaha Museveni, attended the meeting.

During the meeting, teachers, under the slogan “All Teachers Matter,” tabled their demands for pay equity and harmonisation among teachers of various subjects, support staff, and school administrators at all levels of education. However, after hours of dialogue without any concrete results, the teachers resolved to continue with their industrial action despite overtures for reconsideration from the President.

As earlier communicated, the permanent secretary reechoed the teacher’s demands for a pay rise, which cannot be addressed in the coming financial year, whose budget has already been approved and passed. Those who are unable to work under the current conditions are free to resign.

She also emphasises that all schools are expected to be open and operational without fail by Monday next week, advising teachers who do not agree with the available options as suggested by the government to seek legal redress.

“By copy of this letter, the chief administrative officer and town clerk are called upon to take stock of the teachers present and submit absent teachers by June 30, for eventual removal from the payroll,” she writes.

Filbert Baguma, the UNATU secretary-general, noted that they have received the letter but it changes nothing. Baguma added that the claim that their industrial action is illegal is ungrounded, thus calling on teachers not to panic over the intimidation of being scrapped off the payroll.

If it were distributed equally across the board to the 169, 000 teaching staff, it would mean that each teacher would get an additional 46,800/-per month. It should be noted that UNATU has already proposed a salary increase plan for all teachers and other staff. According to UNATU’s draft, secondary school and primary school head teachers should receive shillings 10 million and shillings 4.5 million, respectively.

TEACHERS CONTINUE WITH STRIKE, CALL FOR SALARY INCREMENT
Arts teachers call for industrial action today
According to statement issued yesterday by the Secretary General of Uganda National Teachers Union Filbert Baguma, the review must be fair in addressing their concerns as far as salary enhancement is concerned.President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday after his meeting with UNATU asked teachers in the country to call off their industrial action as Government is committed to give civil servants good remuneration.
“In principle, we shall pay everybody well but as of now, let us concentrate on one aspect. Don’t tell me about this industrial action. Go and work! Our aim is to pay civil servants well,” he said.
But his directive has since been defied by the striking teachers who say they can only return to classrooms if their comcerns are immediately addressed. Government in this financial year increased the pay cheque of science teachers, leaving out those in arts and humanities.As of today, Monday 20, most government schools across the country are still on a stand still with only science teachers maintaining their presence while their arts counterparts have continued to shun teaching.