NCHE reopens Great Lakes University Kanungu

Kanungu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has allowed Great Lakes Regional University in Kanungu district to reopen. The university was closed last month following a row between Dr Hamlet Mbabazi Kabushenga, the founder and Chancellor of the university against the administrators led by the director, Honest Wilkins Natukwasa.

Kabushenga founded Great Lakes University in 2004. But in June last year, Child to Family Community Development Organization (CHIFCOD), which funds the university asked him to resign citing financial impropriety.

Recently, the warring parties organized parallel graduations for the same students drawing the attention of the NCHE, which ordered the closure of the university for one month.

In a letter dated December 16, signed by Rev. Canon Dr Kagume, the NCHE Deputy Executive Director, and addressed to the office of the University Vice-Chancellor, the university has been allowed to open with immediate effect. The directive follows a meeting held on Tuesday between the university administration and NCHE.

Saul Waigolo, the NCHE Public Relations Officer confirmed that the university has been allowed to resume operations but investigations into issues of non-compliance are still ongoing. Waigolo says that NCHE considered that keeping students at home may affect their academic hopes.

The letter from NCHE however directs the management of the university to fulfill 20 requirements and submit them to NCHE before the end of January 15, 2022. Among the requirements include names of members of the Board of Trustees and instruments of appointment, names of governing council members and names of management teams and minutes of the university organs.

Other requirements include university memorandum and articles of association, the charter of establishment, annual audited accounts from 2015 to date, university’s financial policy, list of loans, list of academic programs, and copies of land titles among others.

The director, Honest Wilkins Natukwasa, says that the re-opening of the university is a great relief on the side of administration and students who have been worried about its future fate. Natukwasa says that they are ready to abide by the NCHE guidelines.

On December 8, the High Court Civil Division Assistant Registrar, Jamson Karemani ruled in favour of Natukwasa, barring Bishop Kabushenga and his wife Esther Kellen Mbabazi from accessing the university premises.

Karemani ruled that evidence from the affidavits from both parties show that Kabushenga resigned from the position of the director and the University appointed other directors.

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