Kampala: Despite the ongoing feud between Prof Venansius Baryamureeba and various leaders backing the re-appointment of Prof Waswa Balunywa as the Principal for Makerere University Business School, Balunywa has lashed out to Baryamureeba saying he has created schism within MUBS staff and students.
In a statement published by former legislator for Bugabula South Asuman Kiyingi, Balunywa said Prof. Baryamureeba who doubles as the chairman of MUBS council has chosen to listen to individuals rather than the collective voice of Management and taking decisions against council positions.
“Instead of guiding the school as the council chairman, he has caused confusion among staff members and students putting the institution at the edge of turmoil,” Kiyingi who has turned himself into a spokesperson of Balunywa wrote.
He alleges that the council chairman interfered with the process of an appeal that was yet to be filed by a staff who had been dismissed over sexual harassment of numerous members of staff and student despite the presence of a substantive chairman of appointments board which had taken a decision on these staff and he (Baryamureeba) personally went ahead to find out whether he had appealed or not.
“In January this year, you wrote me a very abusive email on the subject matter humiliating me however, on reflecting to it, I did not respond,” Reads in part of Balunywa’s the post.
Management sat and decided to write to the Solicitor General Francis Atoke over this matter, to their dismay, before petitioning him, prof Baryamureeba took it upon himself and wrote to the Solicitor General and personally followed up to get response.
He revealed that at the request of the then Minister of Education and Sports Jessica Alupo, basing on academic credentials and knowledge of the education sector, he (Balunywa) recommended Baryamureeba to MUBS management and subsequently nominated him and he was appointed as the chairman of council but has however, worked towards his selfish motives.
“In March this year, Prof Baryamureeba petitioned the Minister of Education and Sports recommending me for reappointment as Principal of MUBs, to my surprise, was not consulted on the move and the said letter did not go further than council members,” Balunywa lamented.
He continued “I have come to believe that your recommendation was in bad faith and was intended to pre-empt my expression of interest to continue as Principal of MUBS if I had so wished,” he added.
He averred that anonymous members from the institution revealed that Baryamureeba had aspirations of becoming the principal and subsequently the Vice Chancellor of the top most business institute.
“Deep down in your heart, you know the truth but like I have now come to learn, when you disagree with somebody, you use everything available to you including falsities to discredit that person. I recall you telling me about the interpretation of your name,” he wrote. “I would like to leave MUBS with honor and this honor is entirely in your hands as chairman of council. I have supported you since you took over as Vice Chancellor in Makerere University, in your term as chairman of council,” he concluded.
Balunywa is 63 years and the mandatory age for all civil servants in Uganda is 60 years. He has been the helm of MUBS as a principal for almost 20 years since the school changed from Uganda College of Commerce-Nakawa.
Eagle Online could not reach Baryamureeba since his known mobile telephone wasn’t going through.
