The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, has proposed an exemption of income tax for State Attorneys to mitigate significant salary disparities between its legal officers and those employed by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Judiciary.
Minister Mao presented the appeal on January 16, 2025, while addressing the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee during discussions on the Ministry’s 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper.
He highlighted the urgent need to address the pay gap, which has caused a steady migration of skilled attorneys to better-paying government institutions.
“A large number of our staff are seeking opportunities elsewhere because the conditions of service here are less favorable,” Mao said.
“Many of our lawyers are leaving to join the Judiciary, where the terms are superior. The ODPP does not face the same challenge because its lawyers benefit from income tax exemptions, effectively increasing their take-home pay.”
He said there was a need for similar measures for State Attorneys to ensure competitive compensation and retain talent.
Mao expressed concern over the Ministry’s inability to retain its best-trained lawyers, despite investing heavily in their development.
He warned that this exodus could erode the quality of the Ministry’s work and lead to inefficiencies in defending government interests.
The proposal sparked sharp criticism from Fox Odoi, MP for West Budama North East, who dismissed the request as outdated and unfit for modern governance.
He condemned the persistent disparity in pay across government institutions, drawing comparisons to solutions implemented in other countries nearly a century ago.
“The Minister is asking us to fix what I can only describe as an archaic problem,” Odoi said.
“In 2025, we are still discussing lawyers in the ODPP earning more than those in the Attorney General’s Chambers for performing the same work.
The US resolved this issue in the 1930s with a law mandating equal pay for equal work. How is it that we are still grappling with this in Uganda today?
Odoi urged the Minister to address the systemic flaws within the government’s remuneration policies, rather than relying on temporary measures like tax exemptions.
He called for a holistic approach to harmonize salaries across the public service and ensure fair treatment of all employees performing similar roles.
The debate has brought to light the ongoing challenges of pay inequity in Uganda’s public service. While the Ministry of Justice seeks immediate relief through tax exemptions, critics argue that this approach only treats the symptoms and does not address the root cause of the issue—unequal pay structures.
Minister Mao’s proposal underscores the struggles the Ministry faces in retaining its workforce, with many leaving annually for better prospects.
This attrition threatens the Ministry’s ability to effectively represent the Government in legal matters, potentially leading to costly setbacks.
Although the income tax exemption might provide short-term relief, it is evident that Uganda must prioritize comprehensive reforms to eliminate pay disparities across its institutions.
The outcome of this debate will determine whether Parliament takes decisive action or allows this issue to persist unresolved.
