GIDEON T
Humanities teachers in the Kigezi sub-region have vowed to continue with their industrial action, defying the national call to suspend the strike after a recent meeting between their representatives and President Yoweri Museveni.
Arts and humanities teachers across the country had earlier agreed to suspend their strike to give the government time to fulfill promises related to salary enhancement and improved welfare.
This announcement was made by Public Service Minister Muruli Mukasa during a press briefing held at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Monday, June 30th. According to Minister Mukasa, the government has committed to a phased salary increment for Arts and Humanities teachers, beginning in the 2026/2027 financial year.
However, Praise Twebaze, a teacher of English and Chinese at Kigezi High School, expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the meeting, accusing the national union leaders of misrepresenting their position.
“As members of the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU), we are acting within the law,” Twebaze stated. “We urge all Humanities teachers not to be intimidated by those in power. A hungry teacher is an angry teacher. We call upon church leaders to stand with us in this fight for equal pay.”
Innocent Tuheisomwe, a teacher at Buhara Secondary School in Kabale District and the assistant mobilizer for UPHTU in the district, also criticized the government’s inconsistency.
“This is a repetition of the same empty promises. We shall not return to the classroom until Arts teachers receive the same salary as Science teachers,” Tuheisomwe emphasized.
Wilber Ayebare, a teacher at Kakomo Secondary School and the chief mobilizer for UPHTU in the Kigezi region, urged government officials to take their grievances seriously.
“Our industrial action is not just about salaries—it’s about dignity and fairness for Arts teachers,” Ayebare said.
