Staff at Makerere University are outraged at what they see as a plot to ‘illegally’ award a new contract to the incumbent vice-chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe. (Staff at Makerere University speak out against the decision to renew Nawangwe’s contract)
The issue was raised at a recent Joint Staff Association meeting attended by members of Makerere University Academic Staff Association-MUASA, Makerere University Administrative Staff Association-MASA, and the National Union of Education Institutions-Makerere chapter.
Dr. Robert Kakuru, Chairperson of MUASA, who spoke on behalf of the staff, stated that they have been perplexed as to why the University Council has remained silent on the issue while Prof Nawangwe’s contract is set to expire in one month and fifteen days.
Prof Nawangwe’s term ends in August of this year, following his appointment in 2017. However, a member of the staff claims that he has been preparing for another term despite questions about his eligibility.
The big debate currently consuming Makerere Hill staff revolves around the vice-age chancellors of 66, which puts him over the 65-year upper age limit for the office.
For many years, Makerere University has had an age limit as one of the requirements for the position of vice-chancellor. Previously, candidates over the age of 60 were barred. The 2017 Search Committee, on the other hand, announced that candidates interested in the position could be between the ages of 40 and 65.
The change is said to have been made at the time to allow Prof. Ddumba-Sentamu, who had already reached the age of 64, to run for reappointment. Ddumba, on the other hand, declined to seek re-election. It is now common knowledge that a review of the human resource manual is being conducted in order to raise the retirement age for employees.
The executives of the joint staff association are concerned that this process will be abused as well. “There is an ongoing review of the human resource manual to increase the retirement age for staff, and please keep in mind that due to unethical methods, the policy may be applied retrospectively,” the staff stated in a letter to the chairperson of the university council. (Staff at Makerere University speak out against the decision to renew Nawangwe’s contract – celebrity jazz ug)
