Nawangwe calls another emergency meeting as MAK crisis continues

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has called another emergency meeting for top managers over the current impasse in the university.  The meeting is taking place this afternoon in the Senior Common Room in Makerere Main Building.

College Principals, Deputy Principals, School deans and Heads of Department both administrative and teaching staff are expected to attend the meeting. “Please endeavor to attend in person and keep time,” Prof. Nawangwe appealed in his invitation letter to the officials issued this morning.

The meeting follows a joint staff assembly held on Monday, where members of Makerere Administrative Staff Association (Masa), Makerere University Academic Staff Association (Muasa) and the National Union of Education Institutions rejected calls by management to return to work demanding the immediate reinstatement of their suspended leaders.

On January 18, 2019, Makerere staff laid down their tools protesting the suspension of Bennet Magara, the Chairperson Makerere University Administrative Staff Association, his Secretary, Joseph Kalema and Dr. Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi, the Chairperson Makerere University Academic Staff Association for alleged misconduct and violation of the terms of their employment.

They have since vowed not to return to their duty stations, saying the leaders were suspended unfairly. During the general assembly, staff resolved to give the university management three days to allow the probe committee to conclude its investigations.

The resolution seemed to have angered the Vice Chancellor who accused the association leaders of going against the agreed position in their previous meeting. Prof. Nawangwe posted on his twitter handle @ProfNawangwe last evening indicating that “university management was still ready to negotiate with striking staff despite the “regrettable” staff decisions.

“It is regrettable that MAK staff association leaders abandoned the positions we reached to return full normalcy to the University. Management is committed to breaking the impasse as soon as possible through constant engagement,” Prof. Nawangwe said.

Meanwhile a February 5, 2019 circular no. 986 from the Human Resources Directorate, directs administrative and academic leaders to report the outcome of the staff-headcount by 2:00pm today.

“All staff who will not have reported for duty by 8:00am on Wednesday 6th February 2019 will be considered to have absconded from duty and their case will be handled in accordance with the applicable laws and policies,” said Andrew Abunyang, the Director Human Resources at Makerere.

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