Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has warned teaching and nonteaching staff of Kabale University against rampant strikes, saying the vice will soon cost the university it’s existence.
While today meeting lecturers of Kabale University and other stakeholders in Buziga-Kampala at the residence of George Kanyeihamba, the out going university chancellor, Rugunda said all grievances of lecturers and support staff will be sorted peacefully because consequences of strikes are severe.
“We started this institution to address educational needs of this region so if we fight we shall have no university,” he cautioned.
Rugunda said government nolonger needs to be pulled by ears so as to attend to the needs of teaching and non- teaching staff in public universities.
Recently, here have been strikes at Kabale university with the staff protesting what they term as irregularities, unpaid salaries for 8 months and delays including them on the government payroll.
Rugunda said all these issues are simple to solve, adding that responsible government organs will be drawn in to attend to their grievances before asking them to be patient while investigates ensue.
But Kanyeihamba, who is also one of the founding members of the university, complained that the institution had been converted to a public one illegally and without consulting on the matter.
Kabale University was had initially been established as a private university under part XVII of the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act, but in July 16 2015 turned into a public university.
According to Dr Joseph Tindyebwa the chairperson University Professional Academic Staff Union (UPASU) and Stephen Rugumabanju, chairperson Kabale University Academic Staff Association, complained that the validation exercise that was conducted recently allegedly unfairly victimized some of their colleagues for which caused the prevalent strikes.
The former university secretary Kennedy Rwaboona and the former bursar William Koruragire said they have dragged the university to court because they claim that after their validation when the university changed from private to public, they were instead demoted.
According to Joy Kwesiga, the university vice chancellor, they currently have a student enrolment of 3000.
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