Dr. Rose Nassali Lukwago, the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education and Sports said in her November 14 letter to the University Secretary, Charles Barugahare, that despite the indefinite closure, staff were not dismissed and were still entitled to their monthly pay.
"I wish to clarify that staff have not been dismissed, therefore the University is obliged to pay them salaries within the existing rules and regulations of payment for salaries," read Dr. Nassali's letter in part.
Barugahare had on November 10 written to Dr. Nassali Lukwago seeking clarification on the procedure of processing payments for staff at Makerere.
The university was closed 17 days ago through a presidential directive following successive strikes by both the academic staff and students. The staff were demanding their incentive arrears of over 28 billion shillings that had accumulated since February this year.
Since the closure, all offices were closed and staff were asked to park all university cars and hand in their keys. The university has since operated with a skeletal staff in the top management offices which according to the Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem, University Council chairman, are to coordinate communication between government and the University.
Staff were also banned from travels both inland and abroad on behalf of the University.
Government has since appointed a nine-member Visitation Committee to investigate the challenges that led to the closure of Makerere University.