“The Stakes are High” -Prosecutors Want Strike Handled as Emergency

Striking Prosecutors have appealed to Parliament to intervene and ensuring that their issues are handled by government as promised.

Prosecutors under the Uganda Association of Prosecutors led by the Secretary General, Proscovia Ayebale made the call while appearing before the committee on Government Assurance.

Ayebale said that the government took them by surprise when it later backtracked on their earlier commitment to address their issues.

The Prosecutors resumed their strike in October three months after Government asked them to call it off committing to meet some of their demands, which included professional allowances, salary enhancements, and tax waivers.

“These promises were made in July but we were later told by the Minister that they won’t be respected since government had set up a salary review committee whose views they await to have their issues sorted out,” Ayebale told legislators.

The senior Counsel noted that involving in industrial action was the worst painful decision that they took which has indeed affected the entire Justice Law and order sector.

Ayebale said that the plight of prosecutors should be handled as an emergency noting that since a number of stake holders are being affected who include the Police, Prisons, judges and fellow lawyers.

“The risk of declining performance by the prosecutors would cost the government because if carelessness due to poor pay will mean performance levels will go low; pay prosecutors to avoid wasting time in court with Attorney General and also paying the claimants,” Ayebale advised government.

The Committee Chairperson, Kaps Fungaro assured the prosecutors that they will engage the Minister as soon as possible to have a final stand.

“We shall task the Minister, Gen. Otafiire to come and explain to the committee why the promises made to you have never been fulfilled and why he withdrew the promises unceremoniously,” Fungaro said.

Ayebale assured members that they are still carrying on with the strike until their plight is well handled by government.