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Makerere staff protest search process for deputy VC
Makerere University main building. FILE PHOTO
Makerere University academic staff have protested the decision by the institution’s leadership to start the search for a new deputy vice chancellor in-charge of finance and administration (DVC F&A) during the closure of all institutions of learning.
The university has embarked on the search process in respect to the June 2019 High Court ruling that nullified the appointment of Prof William Bazeyo, saying he was recruited irregularly.
However, the chairperson of Makerere University Academic Staff Association (Muasa), Dr Deus Kamunyu, said initiating the search process during the closure of the institution is likely to disadvantage some of the staff who may be interested in the position but are unable to move around, especially those in districts bordering other countries.
The staff are also protesting the manner in which the search committee was selected, accusing the Vice Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, of interfering with the exercise yet he is the chairperson of the senate.
According to Dr Kamunyu, Prof Nawangwe selected a search committee without consulting other senate members, something he said would compromise the search process.
“While the university was under lockdown, you sent a WhatsApp message to Senate in May, communicating that you had unilaterally decided in your capacity as chairman of senate to request the already disputed search committee to start the search process,” he wrote to Prof Nawangwe.
“We are wondering why you continue to insist on a committee whose report was challenged, discredited and quashed by court. Since you have presented a highhanded bias in this matter that is likely to raise conflict of interest, you recuse yourself from chairing senate meetings related to the search,” Dr Kamunyu added.
The staff want the senate to constitute a new committee to lead the search process when schools reopen.
However, Prof Nawangwe told Daily Monitor on Monday that the new and old search committees were appointed by the Senate and not by himself.
“It is true that the majority of the members of the new search committee were also members of the old committee, but they were nominated and appointed by the Senate. I did not appoint them. The search committee is conducting its business independently and there is no way I can influence them,” Prof Nawangwe said.
“Those complaining are ignorant of the way the Senate works. They claim that the old committee was incompetent, which is not true. The judge did not rule that they were incompetent, otherwise he would have cancelled the search for the DVC as well,” he added.
On conducting the search process during closure of the university, Prof Nawangwe said even the government is making new recruitments during Covid-19, so Makerere is not exceptional.
The chairperson of the University Council, Ms Lorna Magara, said the search has to go on even during the closure because they are following the court order.
