The answers to the question on how Ugandans are surviving amidst high poverty levels could be as shocking as the revelation on the monthly salary of an average Ugandan.
See, government officials led by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni can keep parroting how the economy is doing well.
They can also keep waxing lyrical about efforts to achieve middle income status. But on ground, things are not moving well.
Take the monthly salary of an average Ugandan, for instance. According to Judith Nabakooba, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Uganda’s average monthly salary is Shs 220,000 (about $60) for those living in urban areas.
The figure is lower for Ugandans living in rural areas. For villages, the monthly salary of an average Ugandan is Shs 168,000 (about $45).
So, how does one survive on such a salary? How do they pay their children’s school fees? How do they meet hospital bills?
Minister Nabakooba seems to have an idea on how such low salaries are affecting the housing sector.
And she shared her views as she officiated at the World Habitat Day at an event held in Kampala on October 07, 2024. “Government is working on key policies that will make proper housing affordable for everyone. I encourage all Ugandans to continue saving and exploring other schemes like Saccos that are enabling many to acquire houses,” she said after the event.
In her view – and statistics support her – the highest amount of money an average Ugandan can set aside to build a house is something between Shs 12 million and Shs 24 million.
And that is after many years of saving. The Shs12-24m is many times lower than the Shs183 million that would be needed to build the recommended permanent house.
You can see the full salary structure for all government employees and the list of most highly paid civil servants in Uganda Here and There.
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