Former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Principal Professor Waswa Balunywa and the school’s Chief Quality Assurance Officer, Jacqueline Namaganda, are facing serious criminal charges after prosecutors accused them of filling key jobs with people who didn’t even meet the minimum academic requirements.
A police charge sheet, sanctioned by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo and dated February 20, 2025, lays out three counts of abuse of office against the 68-year-old ex-principal — who for more than two decades was one of Uganda’s most recognisable education leaders.
Prosecutors say that between March 18 and March 28, 2023, while still at the helm of MUBS Nakawa, Prof. Balunywa “recruited Arike James as an Administrative Assistant well knowing that he did not have the minimum academic qualifications” — an appointment they claim created “ineligible costs for the Government of Uganda.”
Two other charges allege he knowingly hired Nuwagira Nathan (between March 15 and April 13, 2023) and Nimrod Kakayi (between February 20 and March 28, 2023) under similar circumstances.
Namaganda, who was Acting Human Resource Director at the time, faces three counts of neglect of duty for allegedly failing to check whether the trio were eligible before confirming them in the roles.
The charges fall under Uganda’s Anti-Corruption Act and Penal Code Act, and follow an investigation by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) at Kibuli.
Balunywa, who retired in 2022 after over 20 years in charge, has long been praised for transforming MUBS into a regional powerhouse in business education. But his leadership was also dogged by questions over governance and recruitment decisions — questions that have now landed him in court.
The case comes as the Ugandan government intensifies its crackdown on “ghost workers” and unqualified hires in public institutions, warning that taxpayers are losing billions to dodgy recruitment.
No trial date has yet been announced, but legal insiders say the charges could carry serious prison terms if proven.
