By John V Sserwaniko
In his Monday 30th May letter, PSST Keith Muhakanizi implores National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) Executive Director Prof Opuda-Asibo to clear the commencement of Soroti University by expeditiously considering accrediting at least four major academic programs that the President wants to be core for Teso region’s first public University ever. These include Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Nursing Science & Bachelor of Computer Engineering. Muhakanizi indicates that his ministry has verified and can confirm that money is available to enable government sponsor an initial 100 students under the 100% full government sponsorship. This contradicts some of the Teso region political leaders whose argument against the University’s commencement has always been that the institution isn’t ready to commence teaching of the academic programs. However, with academic staff including professors already recruited and state of art infrastructure in place the University is clearly ready to commence and during her visit there last month, Education Minister Janet Museveni confirmed as much.
It should be recalled that Soroti University’s commencement date has always been politicized with President Museveni’s Teso political adversaries being accused of fearing to lose political capital in case the institution, in which the NRM government has sunk billions, begins operating. Many business opportunities are already manifesting with many hostels coming up in the University neighborhood.
Muhakanizi’s letter that many Museveni supporters in Teso have praised as being “timely and politically correct” in part reads as follows: “In view of the above, this is to grant you [SU management through University Secretary Ruth Achimo] Financial Clearance to enable your University pursue the process of accreditation with NCHE on the basis that the cost of the programs is within the resources appropriated to the institution in the next Financial Year.” The lucrativeness associated with working for SU, being one Museveni wants to mostly concentrate on science as its core programs just like MUST, has already incentivized some of the big name academics mostly at Makerere to consider vying for the top positions like VC and the two DVCs once the FX Lubanga-led governing council opens up and advertises.
Some of these ambitious professors, desiring to serve as SU CEOs, are understood to be behind plans to petition court challenging the manner in which current Vice Chancellor Robert Ikoja and his DVC were appointed without a Senate being in place yet the relevant Act for Universities requires that the process for VC recruitment originates from Senate before coming to Council. However, in order to achieve stability and enable the SU take off without any further delays, consensus in government is that Ikoja, who along with Achimo founded this University from scratch, should be permitted to serve at least for one term before being exposed to competition by ambitious professors from Makerere and other places whom Museveni is even very apprehensive about because of their high propensity to strike and pester government for higher pay. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755.
