President Yoweri Museveni has come out to justify his decision to import medical doctors from Cuba which he said was a remedy to the “crooked” behavior exhibited by Ugandan medics when they went on a month-long strike.
The President scoffed at the doctors whom he labelled as selfish and indisciplined for attempting to blackmail government into raising their salaries.
He was speaking on Tuesday at the celebrations to mark Labour Day in Ssembabule district.
His remarks began on a calm note, addressing the key sectors that have the potential to create more employment as well as the need for policies that favor both businesses and workers.
However, the President took on a tougher tone while responding to issues pertaining to the inadequate salaries, raised by the Chairman General of the National Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU), Wilson Usher Owere.
Museveni commented saying that while government was cognizant of the need by public servants to increase their remuneration, it was more concerned with improving infrastructure like roads.
He then cited the long standing impasse between medical doctors who late last year withdrew some of their services in protest of their low salaries and poor working conditions.
“I decided to bring Cuban doctors because our doctors behaved badly and unprofessionally,” President Museveni said in his address.
“They [doctors] tried to incite fellow doctors to abandon patients so that patients can die, but some refused. I want to congratulate those who refused”.
In a rather strong tone, the President noted that he could not allow for the aggrieved doctors to hold the country at ransom, which is why he took the decision to have Cuban doctors imported.
“The few bad ones [doctors] boycotted patients thinking they would create a crisis for Uganda but they failed”
He added; “I said ‘No, I can’t be blackmailed, If necessary, I will import doctors to bring discipline to this crooked behavior of people who say they are doctors when in fact they behave as if they are not doctors”.
He said government will not tolerate such selfish conduct from the doctors.
In making their demands for higher pay, doctors argued that they work in very difficult conditions and that their strike served the interests of the ordinary Ugandans who can’t access basic medical supplies in the health facilities. They further claimed that due to the nature of their work, they are forced to work with no rest yet they don’t get commensurate payment.
But Museveni downplayed this citing himself and other public servants such as security officers who get low pay despite the difficult conditions they work under. He instead regarded such as “nonsensical arguments”.
“You can’t lecture me about working for Uganda. The NRA fought for no pay for many years. And when we got victory, we are working for low pay all this time. But we never go on strike,” a disgruntled Museveni told the dignitaries and others who attended the Labour Day celebrations.
“A doctor who goes on strike is not a doctor. He is an enemy of our people and we must treat him as such”.
He also used the same event to explain government’s position to raise the salaries of scientists and science teachers in the public sector which he said had more to do with the rate of retention.
“If a history teacher goes away, it is easy to replace him than a Science teacher. Therefore, in terms of retention of the people, we are more desperate to retain Scientists of the government than the other categories,” he said.
He lambasted some of the headteachers who have since protested the upward revision of salaries of teachers claiming that it was unfair for a teacher to get a higher pay than a head teacher.
“I am the President of Uganda but I get Shs 3.6 million. There are some public servants who get Shs 40m, Shs 50m but let them try to challenge my authority. Authority does not depend on salary. I have authority although I am paid a low pay,” Museveni said.
