By John V Sserwaniko
Many are still wondering how and why Prof Juma Wasswa Balunywa, who had ruled Nakawa-based Mubs with an iron fist since inception in 1997, finally lost the favor of the First Lady Janet Museveni who is also his sector minister. Balunywa, who has served Mubs as Principal with an iron fist approach never tolerating dissent or any staff/student strikes, has in effect served 5 terms each of 4 years consecutively without ceding ground to anyone. This makes them 20 solid years counting from 1997. Guys who previously tried to position themselves as potential successors somehow found themselves falling by the way side including Prof James Akampulira and later on Dr. Julius Kakuru. Then came Prof Samuel Sejaka who too bitterly fell out with Balunywa and acrimoniously left Mubs. The trio shared a lot in common including deputizing Balunywa and personally growing very close to him. But all the same their ending with him was never good. Each time he fell out with one, the next senior but less ambitious professor was called upon as a replacement. And this is how it worked: when he fell out with Akampulira, Kakuru was called upon to consolidate as the Deputy Principal and when he too fell out, Sejaka became the natural successor. When it was time for him to fall out, a one Muhwezi stepped in to deputize the big man at Mubs. In fact the Sejaka fallout was so acrimonious, that Balunywa was dragged to court where he faced criminal prosecution. It was really very embarrassing for the two old friends facing each other in the dock-one as a witness and the other as a suspect. Many thought Balunywa was finally broken but the man bounced back becoming even more strengthened as he initially related very well with his new governing Council Chairman Baryamureeba. An impression was for long created that Balunywa was a deeply entrenched State House man who had the President’s eye and ear. This was the reason many feared to challenge his authority at Mubs either through the student’s leadership or staff associations. One time guild president Kawere, who was one of the few non NRMs to ever win that position at Balunywa’s Mubs, brought his UYD militancy and led a student strike against Balunywa’s management style and lived to regret the rest of his life as his efforts to pass exams and graduate for long remained very complicated. This partly explains why the Museveni state liked Balunywa: being able to suppress all strikes at a time Makerere, Kyambogo and other public Universities were increasingly becoming synonymous with rampant industrial actions. Whereas it was a taboo for a Musevenist to become guild president at Makerere and Kyambogo, at Balunywa’s Mubs professed Musevenists always scored landslide victories. In the meantime, the Museveni state reciprocated by ensuring Balunywa remained Principal and whoever attempted to stand up to his leadership was easily characterized to be the enemy of the NRM and eventually isolated and crushed!
THINGS FALL APART;
Ironically the image of invincibility that Prof Balunywa had built over the years began cracking when First Lady Janet Museveni became Minister of Education. And the challenges that have eventually messed up and neutralized Balunywa in the eyes of the powerful sector minister have all related to his difficult relationship with his parent institution Makerere University. “Each time there would be a lead story about Makerere-Mubs relationship, Janet wished to hear both sides to understand more how the ministry would help out. However, each time she would look for him, Balunywa wouldn’t be available. She would ask his immediate line Minister JC Muyingo (for higher education) to look for him and he too would fail to find him. His phone is always on but never picks it. Neither does he return missed calls. Muyingo one time told Janet that ‘Mum that is how Prof Balunywa has always been’ and Janet asked Muyingo ‘how then do you supervise such a person?’ Muyingo said when everything fails, we ring Mr. Muhwezi [Deputy Principal] through whose phone it’s easier to get Prof Balunywa than directly on his own phone,” reliable sources told this news website. It was further revealed to us that with January 2018 came the experience that prompted Janet to finally give up on Balunywa. Both Daily Monitor and New Vision, whose reporting on Education matters Janet always reads very carefully, carried screaming headlines showing how Makerere had refused to include thousands of Mubs students on the February 2018 graduation list because of tuition arrears Mubs had collected but refused to remit to mother campus. The First Lady again rang Muyingo asking what was going to be done to ensure the innocent young students don’t miss graduation. Muyingo said he had to speak to Balunywa first. “He went to where the First Lady was and started calling Balunywa. For the whole day the man wasn’t picking. This prompted Muyingo to tell the First Lady that ‘Mum let me drive to Mubs and look for him.’ To his dismay, Balunywa wasn’t there. The minister [Muyingo] was told that the Principal hadn’t been on campus since November 2017 and it was Muhwezi running the show. What hurt both Muyingo and Janet most was that Muhwezi rang him and Balunywa picked instantly and that was how Muyingo was able to speak to him. Balunywa then told Muyingo he was very busy and away. He delegated Muhwezi to work with Muyingo to resolve the problem and that is how those children graduated,” said a source close to the First Lady. “That’s the day his fate was sealed because people at the Ministry started saying what is this man being Principal for if he is never available both on phone and in office?” We are told that is when the Mubs governing council chairman Prof Venescias Baryamureeba, who had already signaled to the First Lady about Balunywa’s suitability to continue serving as Principal, made a U-turn and retracted his recommendation sparking rumors that he was too interested in the job.
BALUNYWA FIGHTS BACK;
On learning how bad things had become regarding the slim possibility of ever securing the First Lady’s endorsement again for re-appointment, Prof Balunywa reportedly reached out to his former employee and protégé Anita Among (was Mubs don) who these days is the most influential broker of deals at Museveni’s palace. The undisputedly very powerful Bukedea woman MP duly complied and within just hours, Balunywa got a meeting in State House where he met the President and cried out to him. It’s said that day Prof Balunywa was sneaked into State House dressed in a way that many construed to be one aimed at camouflaging to ensure not many people recognized who he was. That is how the Ugandan big man was prompted to write the 29th April 2018 letter giving his no objection to Balunywa’s re-appointment. The confidential letter was addressed to Education Service Commission Chairman Hajji Lubega Waggwa whose entity handles the appointment of Principals like Balunywa. But it was a qualified letter in which the H/E said this should be done subject to ensuring “all other factors are in order.” On 3rd May, the ESC wrote to Baryamureeba urging him to prepare complying with the President’s letter. On 5th May, Baryamureeba wrote back to Waggwa a letter in which he clearly backtracked withdrawing his earlier endorsement for Balunywa’s automatic re-appointment. Baryamureeba referred to a number of factors why he thinks Balunywa wasn’t eligible anymore to even be permitted to compete with others to keep his job. This was total departure from tradition whereby Balunywa was always returned without being subjected to any competition. Baryamureeba pointed out that whereas the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act sets 60 as the maximum age at which one can serve as Principal, Balunywa was already 63 making him clearly ineligible. He also referred to provisions that require a competitive process as well as those that impose a maximum of two terms. The Baryamureeba letter also referred to best practices elsewhere wondering why Balunywa wasn’t being treated like other CEOs for other Universities who are subjected to competition as required by law. The letter concluded by advising Waggwa to re-appoint Balunywa at his own risk. Waggwa, who some claim without corroboration to be a distant Balunywa relative through marriage, was also cautioned of the impending legal challenges and petitions directed at the IGG and Courts of law. He was also required to put his concerns in writing and address it to the entire Mubs Council in case he was determined to use his ESC to re-appoint Balunywa back at Mubs. Baryamureeba’s views were later on re-echoed in the Ministry of Education letter that guided Waggwa and urged him to forget about Prof Balunywa’s past contracts and the accompanying circumstances and for once follow what the law says while conducting fresh recruitment process for the Mubs new Principal. There was also another letter by Minister Janet Museveni prudently guiding on why the ESC should strictly follow what the law says in determining Balunywa’s fate. Then what made the First Lady even more furious and more hardened were the claims by Balunywa’s supporters in the education sector falsely claiming that the current leadership at the Ministry of Education has vendetta against Muslims. Knowledgeable sources say that this, more than anything else, clearly sealed Balunywa’s fate. But there are also many anti-Balunywa dossiers that the First Lady found on the shelves condemning Balunywa’s leadership style at Mubs; these are contained in the numerous IGG, Auditor General and PPDA reports painting the amiable Professor from Busoga as too powerful and indispensable. “Some of these reports are really bad and it was always a matter of time before a sober-minded leadership took charge at the Ministry and would crack the whip hard on him,” said a source familiar with Balunywa’s rein at Mubs. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755!
