Tenants and other university officials living inside Makerere University premises are on pressure following the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) order to the university informing them to pay an accumulated water bill totaling to 1.2billion shillings.
The said water bill accumulated from March 2014 – March 2019, according to the Directorate of Estates and Works. Apparently, the university demands UGX 14 million (water bills) from retired university officials who are still residing in university houses.
Early last month, the Directorate of Estates and Works notified all staff members residing at the university that their salaries will be deducted to clear the water bill, starting immediately (May).
“Management would like to inform you that 50% of your outstanding bill will be deducted from your salary effective from May 2019 and the balance will be deducted from the salary of June 2019,” Charles Barugahare, the University Secretary wrote.
The communication was followed by mixed reactions from the affected staff who claimed that there are several errors and inconsistencies in the water bill recovery process.
According to records by the Directorate of Estates and Works, 556 staff members are affected where 275 senior university staff are required to pay UGX 533 million, while 285 junior staff will pay UGX 387 million. 36 private organizations renting university houses ( both within the university and outside) will pay UGX 105 million.
The affected staff want the university management to direct the Director Estates and Works to provide meters for each house with full information on a monthly basis showing details of their water bills.
PAC also directed the university to stop the bulk-billing system and install meters to allow individual staff pay for their costs directly to National Water and Sewerage Corporation.
