Gomba District local government workers have demanded urgent government intervention over the delayed payment of their November and December salaries.

Speaking to the media on December 30, 2024, a section of the local government workers argued their salaries have been delayed despite President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to ensure all government workers received their payments by December 23, 2024.

One female worker, who chose to remain anonymous, said that the delays in the two months’ salary payments have severely impacted their ability to provide for their families.

She added that most of her colleagues are worried of the school fees burden before with the onset of the new term in January 2025.

’’Yes, we are workers, but at the same time parents who have needs and families, so we want our money because the financial strain is too much on some of us, especially the single parents who have families that solely depend on us,” she stated.

She explained that a few of her colleagues received their November and December salary payments.

However, a big number of them have not yet gotten salary payments for both months.

Gomba Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Edith Nakate attributed the salary payment delays to complications arising from a new salary transfer system implemented by the Bank of Uganda.

Nakate added that previously government workers were being paid through the Integrated Payroll Management System (IPMS).

However, recently the Bank of Uganda changed to a Human Capital Management (HCM) payroll system.

The new pay roll system, Nakate said had reportedly caused disruptions, including the displacement of some employees from the payroll.

’’The workers should keep calm because we are working on their salary delay issues. I believe by January 2025 their salaries will be processed,’’ she said.

As Gomba’s local government workers await resolution to this pressing issue, their situation underscores a larger systemic problem within Uganda’s public service payroll management.

The combination of administrative challenges and inadequate communication has led to widespread dissatisfaction among civil servants, raising questions about the effectiveness of recent reforms intended to streamline salary payments.