Xavier Radio Ug News 24 7
Kisoro District leaders have petitioned President Museveni to intervene in the stalled appointment of Prof. Anthony Mugisha as Makerere University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. The petition alleges undue delays, possible ethnic marginalization, and violations of university procedures despite Senate and Council approval.
Leaders from Kisoro District have petitioned President Museveni to intervene in what they describe as an unexplained and unjustified delay in the appointment of Professor Anthony Mugisha as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) at Makerere University.
Presenting their grievances to the President during his campaign in Kisoro on Tuesday, the petitioners, led by former Minister Philemon Mateke – also the NRM district chairman – said Prof Mugisha, a former Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, successfully passed all stages of the competitive recruitment process.
They note that the Makerere University Senate recommended him to the University Council for approval and subsequent appointment by the Chancellor in May 2024, in line with the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act (UOTIA), 2001, as amended.
“Despite the Senate’s recommendation and completion of all procedural requirements, Prof. Mugisha has been denied appointment and deployment with no reason,” the petition states.
The petitioners further allege that ethnic discrimination may be behind the delay.
“It is highly probable that Prof Mugisha is being denied this position because he is a Mufumbira, a reason for marginalisation,” the statement reads.
Prof. Mugisha, born in Gakoro Village, Muramba Sub-county, Kisoro District, polled 31 votes in May 2021 to secure Senate approval for the DVC (Finance and Administration) position, narrowly defeating Prof Henry Alinaitwe by one vote.
Despite this endorsement, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has not forwarded Mugisha’s name for formal appointment and has instead extended Prof. Alinaitwe’s acting tenure beyond the policy-mandated two-term limit.
The petitioners argue that the delay raises broader concerns about fairness, transparency, and representation of minority communities, particularly the Bafumbira, in senior university positions.
“Your Excellency, we kindly request for your intervention so that justice is done to him and to us Bafumbira,” the statement urges.
This development comes amid rising tension within Makerere University, with staff associations warning of potential strikes over perceived irregularities in high-level appointments.
The Joint Staff Associations—including the Makerere University Academic Staff Association (Muasa), Makerere Administrative Staff Association (Masa), and the National Union of Educational Institutions (NUEI)—previously petitioned the President, citing mismanagement, favouritism, and systemic impunity in the recruitment of top university officials.
In April 2025, the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) directed Makerere University to halt the recruitment process for the DVC (Finance and Administration), citing allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and maladministration.
Then IGG Beti Kamya highlighted that the university’s management, under Prof Nawangwe, had set up an “illegal task force” to review the lawful Senate-led selection process, effectively nullifying it without proper justification.
The IGG instructed that the recruitment process remain suspended until the investigation is complete.
University staff argue that Prof Mugisha’s candidacy complied with all institutional procedures, yet months after Senate and Council approval, no formal appointment has been made.
Staff members say that continuing to leave the DVC (Finance and Administration) post in acting capacity undermines governance, demoralizes employees, and discourages qualified candidates, particularly from minority communities, from seeking senior roles.
The Kisoro leaders’ petition frames the issue as both an individual grievance and a collective concern.
They said the prolonged delay undermines public confidence in the university’s governance and calls for President Museveni’s direct intervention to uphold merit, transparency, and inclusivity in the appointment of top officials.
Mr Museveni did not immediately address himself on the issue at his rally in Kisoro but Makerere staff believe the issue has reached the President’s attention since they have been writing several open letters without getting anywhere.
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