Mak council delays face-off with education committee

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Makerere University Council, the Supreme body of the University has asked for more time before facing off with the education committee of Parliament.

Members of the University Council and management were expected to appear before the committee yesterday, to respond to concerns about the state of affairs in the university. However, only the Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe showed up and was turned away, with advice to come back with his team today, Wednesday.

However, the council did not have the required quorum to appear today, according to Education Committee Chairperson Jacob Opolot. The university council quorum is constituted by at least half of the 23 member team, five of who shall not be employees or students.

Opolot says the committee received the request to have the University Council team return on Thursday.

The Stalemate at the University followed the suspension of Dr Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi, the Chairperson Makerere University Academic Staff Association, Bennet Magara, the Chairperson of Makerere Administrative Staff Association and his General Secretary, Joseph Kalema. They were accused of insubordination, alleged indiscipline and inciting staff.

The suspensions led to a strike that has paralyzed the university since the beginning of the year. The staff reaffirmed their industrial action on Monday, saying that they will only return to work when their colleagues are reinstated.

They accused the Vice Chancellor professor Barnabas Nawangwe of acting arbitrarily and usurping the mandate of other university organs. Last evening the University Council also rejected the formation of committees to investigate matters arising out of staff suspensions.