Makerere University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe has finally decided to get out of ‘hibernation’ and appear before the Parliamentary Education Committee after rejecting several summons to explain the ongoing impasse,now in its forth week, at Uganda’s oldest institution. The committee session kicked off this morning with one the members Hon Ssewungu questioning the new Makerere […]
Makerere University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe has finally decided to get out of ‘hibernation’ and appear before the Parliamentary Education Committee after rejecting several summons to explain the ongoing impasse,now in its forth week, at Uganda’s oldest institution.
The committee session kicked off this morning with one the members Hon Ssewungu questioning the new Makerere University Council Chairperson Lorna Magara, why they have been shying away from the invites from the committee since December 2018.
In response , Magara said that she just attained office in the last 2 weeks and they had a busy schedule.
the Committee Chaired by Jacob Opolot then ordered that Makerere University council starts by presenting the Gender and Equity report before proceeding to explain the current escalating strike.
The striking lectures are protesting Nawangwe’s suspension of their colleagues Dr. Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi, Mr. Bennet Magara and Mr. Joseph Kalema, who head the three staff associations MUASA, MASA and NUEI.
The council ordered the university Appointments Board to “immediately convene to handle matters of the suspended staff.”
The council however, doesn’t seem to support the idea of having the three reinstated unconditionally as has been demanded by some of the striking lecturers.
It recommended that these matters should be “handled in accordance with the laws, policies and procedures governing the University.”
According to Prof Nawangwe, there is now provision in the laws governing the university that allows unconditional reinstatement of a suspended staff member without due process.
