The embattled former chairperson of Makerere University Business School -MUBS Council Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba has sought redress from the Education ministry over the increasing rift between him and the institution’s Principal, Prof. Waswa Balunywa.
Speaking to Journalists at Speke Hotel, Baryamureba revealed that wants government to conduct an independent audit into the governance and management of the institution.
The former presidential Candidate noted that he is willing to provide evidence relating to the gross mismanagement of MUBS perpetrated by the incumbent Principal, Prof. Waswa Balunywa.
This comes a few days after the MUBS Council members censured Prof Baryamureeba on August 14, 2018. In a heavily-worded-three-page statement, Prof. Baryamureeba highlighted eleven areas that he wants investigated by an independent audit.
They include among others the alleged systematic and institutionalized corruption at MUBS, gross mismanagement and abuse of office, the capture the MUBS council by management, blatant contravention of Laws and council decisions by management, illegal recruitments, appointments and dismissals of staff and mismanagement leading to financial loss to the institution annually.
Baryamureba says MUBS is marred by lack of respect for authority by the principal, failure to harmonize pay and benefits with other public institutions, which sees the MUBS principal bag Shillings 40million each month. Prof. Baryamureeba also wants an inquiry into circumstances under, which some members of management and council are the main supplies of goods and services to MUBS through pseudo companies.
He also indicates that MUBS management under Prof. Balunywa, plans, approves and oversees projects including huge infrastructure worth billions of Shillings without any oversight role by the university council. According to Prof. Baryamureeba, his attempts to address some of the challenges put him on a collision path with the principal.
Prof. Baryamureeba also challenges the logic behind appointing Members of Parliament on the council of a public institution. He argues that the presence of State Minsiters Evelyn Anite, Bright Rwamirama and Beatrice Atim Anywar on the council poses governance challenges to the institution since they belong to an institution that is mandated to provide oversight to public institutions.
In an August 14th letter seen by Uganda Radio Network authored by Francis Yosa, the Secretary to the council the decision to expel Prof. Baryamureeba from the MUBS governing council was reached at a special council sitting in accordance with section 40 (2) (d) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001.
On June 12, the MUBS governing council asked Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba to step down for three months pending investigations into the dispute between him and the principal.
Subsequently an Ad-hoc committee led by Rev. Prof. Sam Luboga including Beatrice Atim Anywar, Dr. Michael Kansiime, Shirah Lukwago, David Nyamuyonjo and Julius Ntende was appointed to review the relations between the Principal and the Council Chairperson.
Among its terms of reference, the committee was to consult widely and get a better understanding of the rift between the institution’s leaders, identify the causes of the conflict and propose solutions, explore reconciliatory strategies to enable the two persons to work together and to conclude its work within a period of three months effective June 12 after, which it would present its report and recommendations to council.
