Uganda Local Government Workers Union Issues Ultimatum: Strike Looms If No Meeting with President
Frustrated over stalled salary enhancements, local government workers demand a direct meeting with President Museveni within three weeks.
Kampala, Uganda
The Uganda Local Government Workers Union has given the government a three-week ultimatum to arrange a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni. If their demands are not met, they warn of a nationwide strike.
Union leaders, including National Chairperson Emmanuel Gidudu and General Secretary Hassan Mudiba, say their repeated engagements with lower-level officials have not yielded results — only a meeting with the president will suffice.
The key demand? Salary enhancements for local government workers, whose pay has remained stagnant and not kept pace with living costs. As the union’s deadline looms, tensions are building, and public services risk disruption if the strike goes ahead.
Why It Matters:
Service delivery risk: A strike could severely disrupt local government services across Uganda, affecting education, health, and public administration.
Political pressure: With the union calling directly on the president, this is more than just a labor dispute — it’s potentially a major political flashpoint.
Economic burden: Any wage increases will have budgetary implications, adding pressure to public finances already strained by debt.
Public sentiment: Workers are a key constituency. Their actions and how the government responds could influence broader public opinion.
What to Watch:
Whether the President or his office responds directly to the union’s ultimatum.
The government’s counter-offer (if any): wage increase, phased pay rise, or other concessions.
Mobilization and preparation for the strike: timing, regional coordination, union strength.
Media and public reaction: whether citizens support the workers or blame the union for disruptions.
