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1st May 2024.
Fellow Ugandans, we join the rest of the world today in marking the international Labour day.
On behalf of the membership, supporters and leaders of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party locally and abroad, and on my own behalf join the workers fraternity to honour, celebrate and salute the hardworking and industrious Ugandans.
Even when challenged by the skyrocketing unemployment, our People have struggled daily to do something to survive and earn a living. The labour of their hands has powered our economy since its majorly a private sector led economy.
We are marking this year’s labour day in rather an extra ordinary setting because of the advent of the introduction of too many taxes which has hitherto led to closure of businesses and loss of opportunities resulting into increased unemployment. According to Private sector foundation report indicate, that over 200,000 collapse annually in Uganda on accord of too many taxes that hamstrung businesses.
Today, some employers have resorted to pay cuts, suspension of employees salaries until the situation normalizes and the worst case scenario terminating workers contracts as means of containing with the effects of the hostile economy. Government must reign in so as to cushion the situation.
Special thanks to the medical personnel, doctors, nurses, clinicians, medical interns , laboratory technicians, psycho therapists and cleaners who are on the front line of attending to our health care system for the job.
Despite the difficult conditions that they operate in. Needless to say, the ill equipped medical facilities, with no personal protective equipment, poor remuneration/pay, failure to accommodate them with no means of transport to the medical facilities where they work from our medical workers have soldiered on. These are the real unsung heroes and heroine in the struggle as we commemorate the labour day and we must honour and celebrate them and their working conditions should be fixed by Government.
We would wish to also recognize the tireless efforts by our teachers who have revolutionised the Country, Men & Women in Uniform guarding inĺand, porous and strategic borders, our friends the “Jua kali” (informal sector), Ugandans in the diaspora (“Nkuba Kyeeyo”) contributing remittances to our economy and all working Ugandans who hustle everyday to make ends meet, we are indeed indebted to your endless efforts in keeping the economy grow.
We also thank the media for the commendable job they are doing to keep the public abreast of what happening far and wide at this moment especially when traders had a sit down strike over the un progressive and repressive Efris system of taxation and all other workers putting their lives on the line.
Just like the rest of the world, there is no doubt, we expect in Uganda economic melt down as a result of high taxation that will see a slow performance in the economy.
The FDC think that for our economy to grow, Government must embrace the following measures;
- Revision of the Fiscal and monetary policy measures to cushion this situation.
- Flatten and crush the unemployment curve through creation of new better paying jobs and consolidating the already existing jobs through jobs stimulus.
- Establishment of salaries and renumeration commission to harness and balance the welfare and appreciation of workers.
- Rebuilding and supporting the indigenous economy through rescuing the tourism sector, hotels, parks, transport as well as Government investing in its human capital to spur growth through buy Uganda, build Uganda (BUBU) once the country opens up again.
- Government should operationalize the minimum wage Act that was passed and assented to, to save workers from being exploited by their employees.
Our dear workers, we stand with you in these difficult times that you’re going through, we feel the pain and pinch, and shall trek together and build our motherland to the greater heights.
For God and Our Country.
One Uganda, One People
PATRICK OBOI AMURIAT
FDC PARTY PRESIDENT