President Yoweri Museveni has today appointed a visitation committee of inquiry into the affairs of Makerere University and directed that it commences work immediately.
“In the exercise of the powers vested in the President by section 26 of the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 as amended, I have appointed a Visitation Committee of Inquiry into the affairs of the university,” Museveni said in a letter addressed to the Chancellor, Makerere University.
The Committee is comprised of the following:
- Dr. Abel Rwendeire – Chairperson
- Lady Justice Keturah Katunguka – Deputy Chairperson
- Hon. Tim Lwanga – Member
- Dr. Florence Muranga – Member
- Dr. Proscovia Namubiru Sentamu – Member
- Mr. John F. S. Muwanga – Member
- Dr. Paul Musasizi – Member
- Dr. Kisoro – Member
- Eng. Lumu – Member
The new committee will review the reports of the old committees, find out what was implemented or not implemented and why, as well as making new recommendations if necessary. The committee will commence work immediately.
Museveni who gave an extensive historical background of colonialism in Africa and the suffering of the African people at the hands of external invasions.
“As you know, the nearly 40 million people of Uganda, are part of the presently 1.25 billion people of Africa. The African people have had a lot of problems in the last 2500 years. Without going into details, the African people have suffered from external invasions, slave trade, colonization and marginalization,” he said.
He said the African people have also lagged behind in science and technology, yet they were the pioneers of civilization and knowledge (e.g. ancient Egypt). This is all in spite of sitting atop incredible natural resources in the form of agricultural land, forest resources, fresh water resources, ocean resources, hydro-power potential, minerals, etc.
“After valiantly resisting colonialism, assisted by some friendly forces in the world, the Africans started rolling back the phenomenon of colonialism in the 1950s. Nevertheless, although reasonable gains have been registered, the suffering of the African people continues in a number of places such as Libya, Nigeria, Congo-Kinshasa, Burundi, Somalia, Central African Republic, Mali, etc., in addition to the continued under development of many parts of the continent,” he wrote.
The President said Scholarship, if it is not to be barren (enguumba), should make it its task to illuminate the causes of and the answers to these problems the African people have faced in the last 2500 years in both the social sciences and the natural sciences.
“They should, of course, also study the goings on, past and present, in the wider world, but never forgetting to focus on the problems of Africa and its constituent parts.
It is for these reasons that I am setting up a Visitation Committee to conduct an Enquiry into Makerere University. This is not the first time I have set up such a visitation committee.
The President’s letter attached here is also copied to the Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda and the Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni and Abel Rwendeire the Deputy Chairperson of the National Planning Authority.
