Senior Reporter
A group of retirees in the Kigezi sub-region is raising concerns, urging the government to address various challenges affecting them. They highlight issues such as irregular pension payments and the government’s failure to adjust their payments in line with increments for civil servants.
Bertha Babunkiza, a retired Grade II teacher from Kabale district with 25 years of service before retiring in 1989, expressed her struggle with inconsistent pension payments. While she received gratuity benefits after retirement, her pension payments have posed continuous challenges.
Babunkiza questions why the government has not provided her with the full pension payment, as mandated by the law, especially since she has been retired for over 15 years.
She appeals to the government to consider their plight, emphasizing the dedicated service they provided during their active years.
Dr. Patrick Kabwiga, the chairperson for Rubanda District pensioners, expressed distress at seeing individuals who faithfully served the country facing difficulties in retirement.
Silver Baguma, chairperson for Kigezi pensioners, highlighted their efforts in approaching various authorities to address their concerns, but they have not received adequate assistance.
Joram Tibasiimwa, the Member of Parliament representing older persons in Western Uganda, shared that they have been actively pursuing pensioners’ issues. However, the Ministry of Finance often cites insufficient funds as a reason for not fully addressing their concerns.
Uganda’s Pensions Act, Chapter 286, governs the granting and regulation of pensions, gratuities, and allowances for public service officers. Applicable to various sectors, including civil servants, teachers, police officers, prison officers, and others, the act outlines conditions for pension eligibility.
According to the act, officers who have served the government for ten years or more may be granted a pension at retirement. The pension is calculated as an annual rate of one five-hundredth of the officer’s pensionable emoluments. The latest version of the act, as of June 28, 2018, was amended by the Pensions Act (Amendment of First Schedule) Instrument, 2018.
