Government tells Baryamureba to leave office.

From Makerere University

The government has asked Makerere University Vice Chancellor Venansius Baryamureeba and his two deputies – all holding the positions in acting capacities since 2009 – to “step down” if they are interested in retaining their jobs on substantive basis.

Prof. Baryamureeba is already in the running to keep his employment which the university’s director of Graduate Studies, Prof. Eli Katunguka and Economist Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba, among others, are eying.

The institution has advertised the three posts; that of the vice chancellor, a deputy in-charge academics and another for finance and administration and is seeking suitable candidates to take them up as longer-term office bearers.

In a May 13 legal opinion, Ms Elizabeth Namagembe of the Solicitor General’s office, pointed to a possible case of “conflict of interest” for any of the three to keep glued to their offices while simultaneously presenting themselves as candidates for consideration as substantive holders of the top jobs.

“Our opinion, therefore, is that if the acting Vice Chancellor (Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba) and deputy vice chancellors (Professors Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza and Sande Tickodri-Togboa) are interested in holding the posts substantively, they should step down from the offices,” she wrote.

In the alternative, the government’s legal advisor noted that any of the top three university bosses interested in retaining their job should “not participate in any issues regarding the search for substantive holders for this is clearly a conflict of interest for them to participate in the search for substantive holders of the posts they are holding.”

This legal counsel was in response to a petition by Dr Tanga Odoi, the chairman of Makerere University Academic Staff Association, who sought guidance from the Attorney General’s office on whether it was proper for incumbent Makerere University bosses to express interest in retaining their positions while also staying in-charge.

We were unable to reach Prof. Baryamureeba who has made clear he wants to keep the VC job.

The University Spokesperson, Ms Ritah Namisango, said she could not comment on the development since she did not have a copy of the letter.

Earlier, education minister Jessica Alupo, who was copied in the letter from the Solicitor General’s chambers, had communicated that it was right for Prof. Baryamureeba to keep in office and compete for substantive appointment in the same position. Source: Daily Monitor.