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<\/p>\nPresident Yoweri Kaguta Museveni\u00a0 reopened the long-shelved debate on Uganda\u2019s national minimum wage, announcing a renewed commitment to labor sector reforms but cautioning that a one-size-fits-all policy may not suit Uganda\u2019s diverse economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter meeting workers at State House, we agreed to revisit key issues\u00a0 the minimum wage, tripartite structures, and the misuse of casual labor,\u201d Museveni told the crowd, adding that Cabinet would deliberate on these issues in the coming month.<\/p>\n
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The president\u2019s remarks come amid mounting pressure from labor unions and opposition leaders who argue that Uganda\u2019s workers\u00a0 especially in low-income sectors\u00a0 remain unprotected from exploitation due to the absence of a legally enforced wage floor.<\/p>\n
Museveni, however, warned against adopting a universal minimum wage, arguing that it could hurt productivity and employment in certain industries. \u201cThe approach we discussed, dealing with issues sector by sector, is more realistic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also pledged a crackdown on exploitative employment agencies and criticized firms that prioritize foreign labor over qualified Ugandans. \u201cWe are going to look into these agencies that stand between employers and workers and exploit our people,\u201d Museveni said.<\/p>\n
The 2025 Labour Day theme, \u201cConsolidating on the Gains of the Parish Development Model (PDM) for Increased Productivity and Inclusive Job Creation,\u201d<\/em> reflects the government\u2019s strategy of grassroots economic transformation. Museveni pointed to data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) showing that the majority of job creation in recent years has come from the private sector\u00a0 in factories, ICT, agriculture, and services \u2014 not public institutions.<\/p>\n He reaffirmed that job creation must be rooted in wealth generation. \u201cYou cannot have jobs without wealth. Wealth comes first,\u201d Museveni noted, citing increased government investment in roads, electricity, and internet as job enablers.<\/p>\n To support long-term employment growth, Museveni urged Ugandans to embrace African integration to expand market access. \u201cFactories and jobs mean nothing without a market. That\u2019s why you must love Uganda and love Africa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n While Museveni did not commit to a specific date for implementing minimum wage legislation, his renewed tone suggests a shift in government posture \u2014 from resistance to cautious exploration.<\/p>\n For labor leaders and workers, the coming months will reveal whether this marks real reform or another cycle of political reassurance without action.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni\u00a0 reopened the long-shelved debate on Uganda\u2019s national minimum wage, announcing a renewed commitment to labor sector reforms but cautioning that a one-size-fits-all policy may not suit Uganda\u2019s diverse economy. \u201cAfter meeting workers at State House, we agreed to revisit key issues\u00a0 the minimum wage, tripartite structures, and the misuse of casual […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7016,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[518,428],"class_list":{"0":"post-7013","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-international","8":"tag-labour-day","9":"tag-museveni"},"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mgdmedia.live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gp3G6_jXwAAV3ap-scaled.jpeg\")
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