KAMPALA – A staff meeting of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) has asked the government, to appoint the acting Principal, Prof Moses Muhwezi, to the substantive position.
According to Albert Arinda, the Vice Chairman of Makerere University Business Academic Staff Association (MUBASA), on Friday, they convened a joint staff meeting involving Academic, administrative, and support staff and their representatives in the University Council to develop a key indicative framework to evaluate the performance of Prof Muhwezi as the acting Principal for the last 15 months since when Prof Waswa Balunywa’s term of office expired.
He said at the Friday meeting at the ABD building within the university campus in Nakawa, the staff unanimously decided to recommend to government to appoint him in the full capacity because of the stability and reforms he has brought to MUBS in the short period he has been steering leadership of the institution.
“We decided that before we request for the appointment of a substantive Principal, let us evaluate the acting one because he is a Deputy Principal and also the acting Principal. The joint staff meeting evaluated him and resolved that let acting Principal be appointed to full position of Principal so that he can get a deputy,” he said.
Rogers Mwine, the Chairman Senior Administrative Staff Association (MUBSASA), said from the key performance indicators the staff presented while appraising Prof Muhwezi’s last 15 months in office, they resolved that he is given the full position so as to concentrate on the reform programs which he initiated which have stabilised the institution and are now steering it in the right direction.
Geoffrey Emong the Support Staff Association Council representative, said when Prof Muhwezi took over office, he united all staff and started listening to all their challenges. He added that one of his greatest achievement was regularizing and harmonizing all staff salaries as per public service guidelines for universities.
He also refurbished has furnished all the academic and staff facilities, he has also fast tracked staff promotions as guided by the ministry of public service and finance, he has curbed theft of the school property, he developed the Human Resource Manual, the council and service charter which are powerful tools needed for the university to operate at acceptable standards.
David Ochari the senior staff representative at the University Council, for the last 15 years he has worked there, they had never seen a human resource manual guiding the appointments, dismissal and disciplinary procedures of the University but Prof Muhwezi has instituted one.
“Previously, all appointments and disciplinary issues were directed by the principal instead of the appointments board of council. For over ten years, staff were not earning salaries as per approved structures. In my position, I was earning Shs.2.1m for all those years until July this year when I started earning Shs 7.1m because the approved salary scales were not being followed,” he said.
Samuel Eelu one of the representatives of the academic staff in council said for the last 12 years, the majority of staff have been earning less than half of their entitled salaries and there hasn’t been any clear policy for their entitlements.
On May 31st 2023, Prof Waswa Balunywa’s era as the MUBS founding Principal ended after he finished his two extended contracts.
