News that Prof. Wasswa Balunywa — the former Principal of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) — could be headed to Luzira Prison is not just shocking; it is a stain on our national conscience. For a man who has given decades of his life to building institutions, empowering the youth, and reshaping Uganda’s education landscape, this moment feels less like justice and more like a calculated attempt to erase a legacy.
Ugandans with even a passing knowledge of our higher education transformation know the truth: without Prof. Balunywa, MUBS would not be the powerhouse it is today. When he first assumed leadership, it was merely a small department with fewer than 150 students. Over the years, through persistence, vision, and discipline, he transformed it into a fully-fledged academic institution serving over 20,000 students and employing more than 1,500 staff.
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He did not inherit greatness — he built it.
Brick by brick. Policy by policy. Idea by idea.
His leadership style combined accountability with innovation. He championed programs that produced graduates ready to take on leadership in both the public and private sectors. Many of Uganda’s most dynamic business leaders, policy-makers, and entrepreneurs owe their opportunities to the systems he put in place.
And now, after decades of service, his name is being dragged through the mud over allegations of “irregular recruitment of some staff members” — out of the thousands hired during his tenure. This is not proportionate justice; this is a political spectacle. If there were genuine administrative issues, they could have been resolved through professional audits and internal reviews, not through the criminalisation of service.
The Witch-Hunt Question
The timing and nature of this case raise serious questions. Why now? Who benefits from tarnishing the image of a man who has peacefully retired, continues to mentor the youth, and openly shares his expertise both in person and online? Why is Uganda willing to humiliate one of its most accomplished educators instead of celebrating him?
This smells less like accountability and more like a calculated witch-hunt. In a country where public sector incompetence is often rewarded with promotions, it is hard to believe that the real motive here is justice.
Beyond Retirement, Still Serving
Even after handing over leadership at the peak of his respect and influence, Prof. Balunywa has remained active in national discourse. He has been at the forefront of proposing reforms to our outdated education system, advocating for the removal of colonial-era exams like PLE and UCE in favour of skills-based assessments. He continues to mentor future leaders, equipping them with critical soft skills for the job market.
This is not a man who switched off his brain after retirement; he remains a living national resource. Prosecuting him is like cutting down a fruit-bearing tree because you didn’t like how its branches grew.
The National Message at Stake
The prosecution of Prof. Balunywa sends a dangerous message to Uganda’s public servants: it tells them that loyalty, hard work, and institutional building will eventually be rewarded with public humiliation. That even after you have served diligently, handed over power peacefully, and continued contributing to society, your past can be weaponised against you.
If that becomes our norm, what motivation will be left for those currently in service to go the extra mile? Who will take on the daunting task of reforming broken systems if the endgame is to be shamed and shackled?
A Legacy Beyond Busoga
Some have framed this as a regional issue, noting that Prof. Balunywa is one of Busoga’s most prominent intellectuals. But his contributions belong to the whole nation. The thousands of professionals he trained are spread across Uganda and East Africa. His work elevated the reputation of Ugandan higher education internationally.
To bring him down now is not to diminish Busoga; it is to diminish Uganda itself.
A Call to Honour, Not Humiliate
Instead of prosecution, Uganda should be exploring how to tap into Prof. Balunywa’s experience to guide the next phase of education reform. Countries that progress do not discard their visionaries; they put them on national councils, give them policy advisory roles, and preserve their wisdom for future generations.
If we are serious about building a knowledge economy, we cannot afford to throw away one of the finest minds who has proven — through action, not just talk — that it is possible to transform an institution from nothing into a centre of excellence.
History Will Remember
The current wave of accusations may dominate the headlines today, but history has a way of filtering noise from truth. Prof. Balunywa will ultimately be remembered not for these politically charged allegations, but for decades of service, innovation, and nation-building. The question is: will Uganda be remembered for standing by its heroes — or for destroying them when they are most vulnerable?
Uganda must choose.
The writer Denilson Nkunda is a concerned scholar.
