Da Dona
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- Dec 16, 2025
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KAMPALA — The government has released the 2026/27 public service salaries, maintaining its policy of prioritising scientists, teachers and specialised technical professionals while leaving the salaries of political leaders and many other public servants largely unchanged.
The revised pay structure is contained in Circular Standing Instruction (CSI) No. 3 of 2026, issued by the Ministry of Public Service to guide salary implementation across ministries, departments, agencies, local governments and other public institutions with effect from July 1, 2026.
The implementation follows Parliament's approval of the 2026/27 National Budget, in which Shs9.7 trillion was allocated to the public sector wage bill, representing an increase of about Shs1.1 trillion from the previous financial year.
During scrutiny of the budget, Parliament's Budget Committee considered proposals for salary enhancements covering scientists, teachers, health workers, judicial officers, security personnel, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and other categories of public servants.
However, the committee cautioned that the government's phased salary enhancement programme should ultimately address disparities across the wider public service to ensure greater equity in public sector remuneration.
As in previous financial years, scientists and specialised technical professionals remain the biggest beneficiaries of the latest salary review.
Among the most notable adjustments are those affecting Chief State Attorneys, whose monthly salaries have increased from approximately Shs8.6 million to about Shs12.8 million.
Senior Commissioners serving in scientific cadres within the security services have also received substantial salary enhancements, with their monthly pay rising from around Shs8.6 million to approximately Shs12.8 million. Other specialised science officers in the Uganda Police Force and Uganda Prisons Service have similarly been moved to higher salary scales.
The latest adjustments are consistent with the government's salary enhancement policy introduced in recent years, which prioritises scientists and other specialised professionals working in critical sectors such as health, education, engineering and security.
According to the government, improved remuneration is necessary to attract, motivate and retain skilled personnel in strategic fields considered central to Uganda's industrialisation and socio-economic transformation agenda.
However, the policy has continued to attract criticism from arts teachers, local government leaders and other public servants, who argue that prioritising scientists has widened salary disparities within the public service and left many equally important cadres behind.
The education sector has also benefited from further salary enhancements under the new structure.
Education Assistants, commonly known as Grade III teachers in primary schools, will now earn approximately Shs700,000 per month, up from about Shs500,000.
Head teachers have received salary increases from approximately Shs1 million to about Shs1.5 million per month, while deputy head teachers will now earn around Shs1.4 million, up from approximately Shs750,000.
Science teachers continue to earn substantially more than their counterparts teaching arts subjects under the government's differentiated salary policy.
Although arts education officers have received salary increments of approximately Shs500,000, many still earn less than Shs2 million a month compared to science teachers, whose monthly earnings exceed Shs4 million.
In the mainstream public service, the government has also approved significant salary increases for senior administrative officers.
Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners have seen their salaries rise to approximately Shs6.5 million per month from about Shs1.8 million and Shs1.6 million, respectively.
Commissioners have also moved to approximately Shs12.5 million per month, while Principal Officers will now earn around Shs4.5 million monthly.
Despite these improvements for senior officers, many graduate professionals on the U4 salary scale continue to earn less than Shs1 million per month, highlighting the disparities that remain within the public service.
Although the government had proposed salary enhancements for Resident District Commissioners and other political leaders during the budget process, the approved salary structure leaves their remuneration unchanged.
Resident District Commissioners will continue earning approximately Shs2.3 million per month, while Deputy Resident District Commissioners remain on about Shs1.3 million and Assistant Resident District Commissioners continue earning approximately Shs820,000 per month.
Similarly, Senior Presidential Advisors will continue earning about Shs2.4 million per month, while Presidential Advisors also remain on approximately Shs2.4 million.
The decision comes only days after Member of Parliament Ojara Martin Mapenduzi called for improved remuneration for local government political leaders.
Mapenduzi argued that district chairpersons, councillors and other elected local government leaders shoulder significant responsibilities but continue to receive modest salaries and allowances, a situation he said negatively affects morale and service delivery.
The latest salary structure, however, suggests that those concerns will have to wait as the government continues implementing its phased salary review programme, with scientists and specialised professionals remaining the priority beneficiaries.
The circular applies to employees across the traditional public service, local governments, the education sector, health services, the Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service, the Judiciary, legal services, aviation, intelligence agencies and constitutional institutions.
The Ministry of Public Service has directed all accounting officers to implement the approved salary scales within their respective wage budgets with effect from July 1, 2026.
The latest salary structure underscores the government's continued commitment to its phased salary enhancement policy, even as calls grow for a more comprehensive review that addresses persistent disparities across the entire public service.
Catherine Bitarakwate, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of public service
Source: The independent
The revised pay structure is contained in Circular Standing Instruction (CSI) No. 3 of 2026, issued by the Ministry of Public Service to guide salary implementation across ministries, departments, agencies, local governments and other public institutions with effect from July 1, 2026.
The implementation follows Parliament's approval of the 2026/27 National Budget, in which Shs9.7 trillion was allocated to the public sector wage bill, representing an increase of about Shs1.1 trillion from the previous financial year.
During scrutiny of the budget, Parliament's Budget Committee considered proposals for salary enhancements covering scientists, teachers, health workers, judicial officers, security personnel, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and other categories of public servants.
However, the committee cautioned that the government's phased salary enhancement programme should ultimately address disparities across the wider public service to ensure greater equity in public sector remuneration.
As in previous financial years, scientists and specialised technical professionals remain the biggest beneficiaries of the latest salary review.
Among the most notable adjustments are those affecting Chief State Attorneys, whose monthly salaries have increased from approximately Shs8.6 million to about Shs12.8 million.
Senior Commissioners serving in scientific cadres within the security services have also received substantial salary enhancements, with their monthly pay rising from around Shs8.6 million to approximately Shs12.8 million. Other specialised science officers in the Uganda Police Force and Uganda Prisons Service have similarly been moved to higher salary scales.
The latest adjustments are consistent with the government's salary enhancement policy introduced in recent years, which prioritises scientists and other specialised professionals working in critical sectors such as health, education, engineering and security.
According to the government, improved remuneration is necessary to attract, motivate and retain skilled personnel in strategic fields considered central to Uganda's industrialisation and socio-economic transformation agenda.
However, the policy has continued to attract criticism from arts teachers, local government leaders and other public servants, who argue that prioritising scientists has widened salary disparities within the public service and left many equally important cadres behind.
The education sector has also benefited from further salary enhancements under the new structure.
Education Assistants, commonly known as Grade III teachers in primary schools, will now earn approximately Shs700,000 per month, up from about Shs500,000.
Head teachers have received salary increases from approximately Shs1 million to about Shs1.5 million per month, while deputy head teachers will now earn around Shs1.4 million, up from approximately Shs750,000.
Science teachers continue to earn substantially more than their counterparts teaching arts subjects under the government's differentiated salary policy.
Although arts education officers have received salary increments of approximately Shs500,000, many still earn less than Shs2 million a month compared to science teachers, whose monthly earnings exceed Shs4 million.
In the mainstream public service, the government has also approved significant salary increases for senior administrative officers.
Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners have seen their salaries rise to approximately Shs6.5 million per month from about Shs1.8 million and Shs1.6 million, respectively.
Commissioners have also moved to approximately Shs12.5 million per month, while Principal Officers will now earn around Shs4.5 million monthly.
Despite these improvements for senior officers, many graduate professionals on the U4 salary scale continue to earn less than Shs1 million per month, highlighting the disparities that remain within the public service.
Although the government had proposed salary enhancements for Resident District Commissioners and other political leaders during the budget process, the approved salary structure leaves their remuneration unchanged.
Resident District Commissioners will continue earning approximately Shs2.3 million per month, while Deputy Resident District Commissioners remain on about Shs1.3 million and Assistant Resident District Commissioners continue earning approximately Shs820,000 per month.
Similarly, Senior Presidential Advisors will continue earning about Shs2.4 million per month, while Presidential Advisors also remain on approximately Shs2.4 million.
The decision comes only days after Member of Parliament Ojara Martin Mapenduzi called for improved remuneration for local government political leaders.
Mapenduzi argued that district chairpersons, councillors and other elected local government leaders shoulder significant responsibilities but continue to receive modest salaries and allowances, a situation he said negatively affects morale and service delivery.
The latest salary structure, however, suggests that those concerns will have to wait as the government continues implementing its phased salary review programme, with scientists and specialised professionals remaining the priority beneficiaries.
The circular applies to employees across the traditional public service, local governments, the education sector, health services, the Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service, the Judiciary, legal services, aviation, intelligence agencies and constitutional institutions.
The Ministry of Public Service has directed all accounting officers to implement the approved salary scales within their respective wage budgets with effect from July 1, 2026.
The latest salary structure underscores the government's continued commitment to its phased salary enhancement policy, even as calls grow for a more comprehensive review that addresses persistent disparities across the entire public service.
Catherine Bitarakwate, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of public service
Source: The independent
