Local Government Workers Threaten Fresh Strike Over Delayed Pay Rise

 Local government workers have threatened to resume industrial action over delays in implementing a promised salary enhancement, piling pressure on government ahead of the 2026/2027 financial year budget.

The Uganda Local Government Workers’ Union (ULGWU) has written to the Ministry of Public Service reminding officials of a commitment made last year to increase their pay.

ULGWU Secretary General Hassan Lwabayi Mudiba said the union issued a reminder following a meeting with an Inter-Ministerial Committee in November 2025, where government officials reportedly pledged to address the matter.

Local government workers staged a strike on October 1, 2025, demanding salary enhancement, which led to negotiations and a commitment by government to allocate Shs750 billion for the increment.

Mr Mudiba said since the meeting with officials from the Ministry of Public Service, the union has not received any formal communication on the progress of the promised enhancement, creating anxiety among workers and affecting service delivery at district and municipal levels.

In a letter dated December 9, 2026, addressed to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Service, Ms Catherine Bitarakwate, the union called on government to honour its commitment in the forthcoming budget.

The union warned that failure to implement the salary enhancement would leave workers with no option but to resume industrial action, noting that statutory notice had previously been issued in line with labour laws.

Copies of the letter were sent to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Service.

The workers argue that other categories of public servants have already benefited from substantial salary increments, including vice chancellors in public universities and judicial officers who received a 100 per cent enhancement, as well as university staff and employees of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions who received a 50 per cent rise.

Government had not issued an immediate response by press time.