Government has set aside Shs6 billion to ensure that a public university for Busoga kicks off by July 1 this year.
The matter was exhaustively discussed by cabinet yesterday, according to Karamoja State Minister, Moses Kizige who attended the meeting.
“In the budget for 2018/19, cabinet provided for Shs6 billion for startup of a public university in Busoga and another Shs6 billion for a public university in Tooro,” he said. Government last year voted to have Mountain of the Moon in Kabarole and Busoga universities in Iganga into public universities.
Kizige also said, after the cabinet meeting, he was given the instruments of appointment to set up a committee to spearhead the transition of Busoga University into a public university.
The committee is chaired by Dr. John Chrizostom Muyingo, State Minister for Higher Education. On government side is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Alex Kakooza, and Commissioner for Higher Education and the Executive Director National Council for Higher Education. On the side of the former Busoga university are; Bishops Nathan Ahimbisibwe (South Ankole Diocese) Rt. Rev. Dr. Fred Sheldon Mwesigwa (Ankole), Rt. Rev. Paul Naimanhe Mukembo (Busoga Diocese), Rt. Rev. Michael Kyomya (retired), Dr. David Kantale Kazungu, Dr. Edward Gamuwa and Iganga district LC 5 Chairman, Patrick Kayemba.
The committee is to agree on the headquarters of the university, evaluate the present value of developments, the status of continuing students, and compensation to the church if any, using the Shs6 billion.
“I have been given (by the president) the instrument appointing the committee members and most of them have received theirs,” Kizige said.
Contacted today, April 10, 2018 moments before filing this story to ascertain whether all members had received their appointment letters, the minister who was attending the burial of the mother of the Presidency Minister, Esther Mbayo said he would have delivered all the letters by the closure of business today because of the urgency of the matter.
“All those in Kampala and in the west received their letters. Today I am handling the remaining few from this region immediately after the burial,” he affirmed.
Kizige said the reason government was working so fast to have the university opened was because they want the students who were pursuing different programs at the former (Busoga) University to see them through their education if they qualify for the programs they were admitted to.
On Thursday, March 15, 2018 at State House Entebbe President Museveni met Busoga University stakeholders with whom he agreed on the government takeover of the institution. The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni who was in the meeting expressed her optimism that the new committee will be able to streamline the challenges that have faced Busoga University for the benefit of all.
During the meeting, the Busoga University delegation, led by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Church of Uganda welcomed the president’s idea of government taking over the management of Busoga University. He said that through discussion, the team would streamline the details regarding the land on which the institution is located that belongs to the Church of Uganda.
“The reason government took over Busoga University is because president Museveni wants to enable people in Busoga to continue having education, explains Kizige said.
At the March 15, meeting, Museveni told the stakeholders that the new university must be independent of church.
Initially the church wanted a memorandum of understanding with government, but this was rejected by the president. The church then offered the land and existing premises to government unconditionally.
Mixed reactions
But the news has received mixed reactions from the people of Busoga especially the politicians, analysts and the church.
“Wonderful and well-done Kizige, this is all good news……..we continue to pray for all those involved to steer this to fruition,” posted the former Kigulu MP, Edward Balidawa on Busoga Beyond Politics a Whatsapp forum bringing together all big shots in the region despite their political affiliations.
Another prominent person who applauded the team that lobbied for the takeover of Busoga University by government is former works minister, Asuman Kiyingi. But former Kamuli district LC V chairman, Salaamu Musumba said would only believe after the university starts its operations.
“Even in 2005 they (government) made a Shs6 billion support pledge to Busoga! The list is too loooong. Its elasticity is like political saliva,” she posted in response to members who were excited by the news.
But Isaac Imaka an analyst argued that government should use the 6 billion to establish a public university in Busoga separate from the church owned Busoga University or at worst, the university should be co-owned by the church and government.
Good for Busoga
In December last year, the Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education, Prof John Asibo Opuda, in a correspondence said the provisional license of Busoga University had been revoked after its failure to recruit qualified staff, teaching unaccredited courses and graduating students, who do not meet the minimum academic standards.
Later that month, a team of stakeholders from Busoga led by the speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga met president Musveni and asked government to take over the university.
Museveni in a January 8, 2018 letter to the minister of Education and Sports , Janet Kataha Museveni directed the ministry to take over two universities; Mountains of the Moon and Busoga University.
Museveni notes in the letter that although government didn’t plan to take over the two private universities, there is need to come to the rescue of students studying there.
“I am writing to direct you to take over two private universities which some of our people acting in good faith, started many years ago. The two universities are Mountains of the Moon and Busoga University,” Museveni’s letter reads in part.
In the letter, Museveni also notes that given the popularity of university education, government has established public universities in West Nile, Lango, Teso, Ankole, Kabale, Acholi and Bukedi and that there are plans to establish more in Bugisu, Sebei, Masaka, Bunyoro, Mubende and Karamonja.
Last year, the management of Mountains of the Moon University applied to government to take it over and turn it into a public university.
The private institution located in Fort Portal, was established in 2005 by a team of eminent people from Tooro region, as a community university.
Prof. John Kasenene, the Vice Chancellor Mountains of the Moon University, said they can no longer afford the high costs of running the institution and face a huge challenge to pay staff salaries and improve infrastructure.
Management argues that once government takes over the university, it will enhance the salaries of staff members, improve infrastructures and enable their students to access education loans.
The founders include Prof Edward Rugumayo, Justice Seith Manyindo and Local Government Minister, Tom Butime, among others.
