By Jumah Nsubuga

Three MPs led by Workers MP Arinaitwe Rwakajara have been granted leave by parliament to work on a private members bill that will introduce a minimum wage for all people working in the private sector or doing ordinary work in Uganda.

The MPs who include Arinaitwe Rwakajara, Kasese municipality MP Mbahimba James and Jinja municipality MP Paul Mwiru say ,the last minimum wage was set in 1957 at 6000 shillings per month and its now out dated .

The MPs say that among the East African countries it’s only Uganda that has failed to fix a minimum wage.

They say that although it’s important to protect the interest of the investors ,it is also  important  to  protect those of Ugandan workers.

In the draft bill, they propose a minimum wage on sectoral grounds .

Jinja municipality MP also vice chairperson of Public accounts committee Paul Mwiru is hopeful that by setting a minimum wage it will address the financial  imbalances and reduce on  corruption.

Last year the workers trade unions boycotted labor day celebrations claiming that Government had failed to address their concerns including setting a minimum wage.