KAMPALA, UGANDA – The President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has said that the government’s position is not to open negotiations for a salary increase for striking arts teachers, emphasizing fiscal constraints as the primary obstacle.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The President’s declaration came as he presided over the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) Summit 2025 on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at the Kololo Independence Grounds.
The summit, held under the theme “Together for a peaceful and sustainable Uganda,” was marked by a significant transition of power within the IPOD framework, with President Museveni handing over the chairmanship to the Democratic Party’s Norbert Mao.
President Museveni’s comments were a direct response to concerns raised by Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) President, Jimmy Akena, who had aligned his party with the ongoing sit-down strike by teachers, now in its fourth day.
The President acknowledged the demand but cited a lack of funds as the limiting factor, suggesting a phased approach that would prioritize some sectors over others.
“Our position is guided by pragmatism. If we had the money, we would pay them all. But our national purse is stretched thin with many development priorities. Therefore, if we don’t have the funds, we must start with the few specifically, the science teachers who are critical for our country’s technological advancement,” President Museveni stated.
President Museveni’s position was immediately contrasted by that of UPC’s Jimmy Akena, who had earlier declared his party’s solidarity with the striking arts teachers and his disagreement with differentiating between science and arts teachers.
The teachers, under their umbrella organization the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), went on a sit-down strike at the start of the third term primarily due to the government’s failure to implement a promised salary enhancement.
Opposition leaders, including FDC’s Patrick Oboi Amuriat and DP’s Norbert Mao, addressed governance and human rights issues beyond the teachers’ strike, jointly calling for the release of political prisoners detained across the country.
Adding to the critique, the Justice Forum (JEEMA), which is contemplating replacing its leader Asuman Basalirwa, highlighted the “increase in impunities in the country,” specifically pointing to the continuous arrests of Ugandans without a free and fair trial.
At the function, President Museveni formally handed over the tools of office to Norbert Mao, symbolizing the rotational leadership of the dialogue platform.
The summit was attended by high-profile dignitaries, including the Speaker of Parliament and Second National Vice Chairperson (Female), the Rt. Hon. Anita Among.
Also present was the NRM’s Secretary General and Chairman of the IPOD Council of Secretaries General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, among other political leaders and other iPod members from different political parties.
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