By Michael Atwakire
Bushyenyi, Uganda: Science teachers in Greater Bushenyi district which includes  areas of Sheema, Rubirizi, Mitooma, Bushenyi and Buhweju districts staged a demonstration on Saturday, to express their grievances. The science teachers under their association SESEMAT, carried placards and walked along the streets while chanting, accusing Museveni of allegedly failing to fulfill his pledge to them of increasing their Salary.
A biology and chemistry teacher St Charles Lwanga high school Kashekuro, identified as Tumwijukye Ezra, who represented the 293 science teachers who gathered at SESEMAT offices at Sacred Heart SS Mushanga, said that “President Museveni in 2017 pledged to increase the salaries of all science teachers within a short time by then but since then nothing has materialized yet. Government science teachers are paid between 700000 – 1000,000 but it is said that President Museveni had promised to increase their salary such that a science teacher who is a diploma holder teacher can be paid Shs1,750,000 and a degree holder Shs2m. The angry teachers blamed members of parliament who they called mafias that they are the ones who have delayed President Museveni to fulfill his pledge to them, however they advised Museveni to make his decision earlier before 2021.
The Bushenyi  Municipal Education officer Dan Mugyenyi survived  being beaten by angry teachers after telling them that they shouldn’t demonstrate. Mugyenyi tried to convince the teachers that  President Museveni pledged on his will and therefore shouldn’t be forced to fulfill it. He also told them not to write letter to President Museveni directly but to use UNATU to reach President. However, his word pissed off the teachers who viciously pushed him away. Antiriot police was later called in to calm the situation.
