With a few days to the opening of new academic year 2016/2017, Public University Non-Teaching Staff Executive Forum (Puntsef) members today laid down their tools, demanding government for their arrears and salary enhancements.

According to Jackson Betihamah, the chairperson Puntsef, the 4620 members will only resume work after receiving Shs 56.5 billion.

"The governemnt must pay our arrears of 2015/2016 which amount  Shs 28 billion and our enhanced salaries for academic year 2016/2017 which is Shs 28.5 billion, or else all the public universities will remain closed," Betihamah said, adding that the said money was promised to them by President Museveni.

The Universities on strike are: Makerere, Kyambogo, Gulu, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, and Busitema.

On May 1, this year, the said staff staged a three-day strike that stalled work in these institution of higher learning. The strike was called off after Betihamah and other leaders of Puntsef engaged in round table discussions with the permanent secretary for ministry of Finance, Keith Muhakanizi. Muhakanizi promised to pay their arrears and enhanced salaries, an agreement that hasn't been fulfilled to date.

When Betihamah was asked what the members can do if the governemnt doesn't heed to their pleas, he said:"I can’t be a prophet of doom, but then the government will be heading towards the worst disaster. Students are all over these campuses. They need our attention. The fact is that we have been patient enough."

As this strike resumes, students allover these universities have been seen stranded outside admistrative buildings like senates. Thousands of them are senior six vacationalists who are looking for their admission letters, with the semester set to start on Aug 6.

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