The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA), Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, has assured low cadre officers of the national army, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), that President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s government is committed to increasing their salaries just like it did for senior officers a few months ago.
Speaking at the piping ceremony for UPDF officers who recently got promotions, at a ceremony held at Mbuya military headquarters, Ssempijja reminded junior officers that government had not forgotten them.
A few months ago, Museveni’s government increased salaries of senior UPDF officers.
Just like secondary school arts teachers and their primary counterparts, low cadre officers of the national army were not considered for salary increment in the current financial year.
But Minister Ssempijja assured these low cadre officers not to worry so much since government plans to raise their salaries in the next financial year (FY2023-2024) which begins in July 2023 as promised by Gen Museveni.
“You saw how salaries of general officers and senior officers were raised. We have been assured by President Museveni that government will soon handle [the issue of salary increment] for officer from private to captain,” said Ssempijja.
He also hinted on pay enhancement for other groups of public servants.
Just recently, President Museveni said it was high time his government raised the salaries of officers and ensured that they are financially empowered and stable. (Read Story Here).
Before then, opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine had blasted Museveni for ‘refusing’ to increase salaries of low cadre UPDF officers to at least Shs1m per month for the lowest officer. (Read Story Here).
