The Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has issued moving orders to all Internal Security Organisation (ISO) operatives to deal with striking arts teachers who refused to obey President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s directives.

Exclusively speaking to theGrapevine, Nabbanja disclosed that all ISO operatives all over the country have been instructed through their bosses from Kampala  headquarters to make sure that no unpatriotic teacher is playing with the President’s directives to end strikes.

Yesterday, President Museveni’s government, through Catherine Birakwate, the Ministry of Education and Sports Permanent Secretary issued a statement directing teachers either to go back to class and teach or resign from public service.

The statement followed an emergency meeting summoned by President Museveni in State House Entebbe which was attended by the Vice President Jesicca Alupo, Minister of Education and Sports  Janet Kataha Museveni, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija, Minister of Public Service Muruli Mukasa and other officials from their respective ministries.

The meeting resolved that Arts teachers should wait for the coming financial year when government will increase the salaries of all government workers.

Nabanja told theGrapevine that government is going to make sure that the President’s directive is implemented and that no one is defy it.

“This time is not for joking, this is a government in power and all ISO operatives are directed that from 24th June, 2022, they should be moving around their jurisdiction inspecting all government schools and recording those teachers who think they are bigger than government,” Nabbanja said.

She added that government is not going to look on as innocent young Ugandans are suffering without studying because of selfish people among teachers under their umbrella body, the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU).

“When you see them opening their eyes wide you may think that they are fighting for a common teacher, but no, they should know that they are not the only people who studied education.

There are many young people who are unemployed and want to be employed by this government, if they cannot wait for government to fulfill their promise in the coming year, let them go,” a furious Nabbanja said.

She pined UNATU bosses of misleading teachers especially Filbert Baguma, the Union’s Secretary General.

Nabbanja said that people like Baguma are seeking to benefit personally from teachers strikes.

Nabbanja insisted that government is going to increase the salaries of its employees in the next fiscal year, “this financial year we have started with scientists.”

However, Baguma insists that the strike is still ongoing. He warned government, especially people like Nabbanja, to stop using threatening language.

He rubbished Birakwate’s statement that the teacher’s industrial action is illegal.

He pleaded with teachers not be intimidated. Baguma revealed that they have instructed their lawyers to study Birakwate’s impugn statement.

By Sengooba Alirabaki

Police in Mbarara is carrying out investigations involving a deadly fight between students of S.4 and S.6 at Mbarara High School.

Mbarara High School administration has confirmed the suspension of all candidates in school who were involved in a terrible fight that affected the neighbourhood and left many injured.

The Rwizi Regional Police Spokesperson, Samson Kasasira said that the fight happened last night and police was called when the situation got out of hand.

Kasasira noted that it is the public that tipped police that the Mbarara-Bushenyi road had been blocked and students had destroyed people’s property.

“The Police anti-riot unit responded to the scene and dispersed students driving them back into the school premises where they were contained,” he added.

He further noted that 11 students of S.4 sustained injuries during the fight and 10 of them have been admitted to Ruharo hospital. One was rushed to Homily hospital in Mbarara.

He divulged that the school administration has suspended all S.4 and S.6 students for a period of two weeks which started on Thursday, 23rd, June.

It is however alleged that the genesis of the fight started when S.4 candidates accused S.6 candidates of assaulting their classmate.

By Kalamira Hope

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has executed the legal advice given to him by government’s chief legal adviser Kiryowa Kiwanuka, the Attorney General, concerning the ongoing arts teacher’s strike.

President Museveni today held an emergency meeting at State House in Entebbe, which was attended by the education senior minister and also the First Lady, Janet Kataha Museveni, Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija, Minister of Public Service Mululi Mukasa, Vice President Jesicca Alupo, Attorney General Kiwanuka and other officials from their respective ministries.

Yesterday, theGrapevine reported that Museveni had summoned the emergency meeting after cabinet failed to resolve the issue of striking arts teachers.

When the ministers failed to agree on the issue of increasing the pay for arts teachers, they referred the matter to the president, who was away in Kenya attending the 3rd EAC conclave meeting on the DRC crisis, for a final decision.

State House sources revealed that during today’s meeting, Museveni asked Kiwanuka to advise him and other members in the meeting on how to legally solve the matter because for him, he is thinking of firing them from their jobs immediately because he is tired of unrealistic demands from unpatriotic government workers.

Sources said that when Kiwanuka stood up, he advised his boss that there are other alternatives which he can use to tame the stubborn arts teachers rather than firing them.

Sources divulged that the Express Football club boss cited the Public Service Negotiating Consultative and Disputes Settlement Machinery Act 2008 which was violated by arts teachers before they declared their strike.

He explained that teachers through their association, the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) didn’t give notice to strike to government before they went on strike.

The President was very happy with Kiwanuka’s submission and he directed the Ministry of Education and Sports Permanent Secretary, Catherine Birakwate, to write a warning letter to all striking teachers.

In her statement, Birakwate directed the striking teachers to either return to work or resign before 24^th June, 2022.

“Any government employed teacher who does not comply with this call will be regarded as having abandoned duty and resigned from the public service in accordance with Section A-n(17) of the Public Service Standing Orders 2021. The teachers who are not willing to go back to work under the prevailing conditions are free to withdraw their labour as provided for under Section A-N(11) of the Public Service Standing Orders 2021,” she stated.

She further condemned teachers and head teachers who have started closing schools without orders of their superiors.

She explained that as of now, government does not have money to increase their salaries and pleaded with them to wait for the coming financial year because then, government is expected to include money to increase their salaries.

She insisted in her statement that government will only use the Shs.735bn allocated in this financial year to increase the salaries of the science teachers and it won’t be shared like it had been earlier proposed.

Our efforts to contact Filbert Baguma, the UNATU Secretary General for a comment on the resolution of government were futile.

By Sengooba Alirabaki