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Hundreds of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) casual workers, including many elderly women, gathered outside Parliament on February 29, 2024, armed with placards and grievances. They were protesting the non-payment of their salaries and wages for the past five months, along with other issues like unpaid NSSF contributions and threats of contract termination by KCCA leaders.
The situation escalated when the casual workers blocked the entrance route to Parliament, forcing ministers, legislators, and officials to find alternative ways to access the House. Speaker Anita Among had to abandon her agenda for the day to address the angry protestors, who had occupied the busy Parliamentary Avenue for about two hours.
Accompanied by Kampala Central MP Mohammed Nsereko and Kampala Woman MP Shamim Malende, Speaker Among urged the protestors to remain calm as efforts were made to resolve their grievances. She assured them that their salary arrears would be processed and contracts renewed, promising to summon KCCA leadership, the Ministry of Finance, and all Kampala MPs for a meeting to address the issue.
The casual workers highlighted a range of concerns, including unpaid salaries, failure to remit NSSF contributions, poor working conditions, and the threat of contract termination. Many expressed frustration at their meager earnings, with some revealing they earned as little as Shs160,000 to 180,000 per month, which they deemed insufficient given the rising cost of living.
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Efforts to obtain comments from the KCCA executive director were unsuccessful, as her known telephone contacts were unavailable at the time of the press. Some leaders, including MP Allan Ssewanyana and Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, criticized the KCCA’s handling of the situation, emphasizing the urgency of resolving the workers’ grievances.
In response to the protests, a meeting was held involving KCCA leadership, the Speaker, and Kampala MPs, where it was agreed to cancel the directive to terminate the workers’ contracts. Kampala Woman MP Shamim Malende emphasized the workers’ need for timely payment to support their families and meet basic needs, urging the government to take action promptly.
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