Ten public universities are under scrutiny after the Auditor General, Edward Akol, revealed that several institutions are operating illegal campuses and offering unaccredited or expired academic programmes — despite receiving UGX 2.65 trillion in government funding over the past three years.
According to the Auditor General’s report, some universities were found running study centres and campuses without approval from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), while others continued to admit students into programmes whose accreditation had expired.
Universities Named
The report specifically cited:
Makerere University for operating study centres in Mbale and Lira.
Gulu University for running study centres in Kotido, Hoima/Masindi, and Kitgum.
Busitema University for operating a study centre in Tororo and a campus in Kabwangasi.
Kyambogo University for running study centres in Bushenyi, Paidha, and Soroti.
Additionally, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Busitema University, Kabale University, Muni University, Mountains of the Moon University, Lira University, and Soroti University were found to have admitted students into 64 academic programmes with expired accreditation.
The Auditor General attributed these irregularities to weak enforcement by NCHE and inadequate internal compliance tracking systems within the universities.
Broader Institutional Weaknesses
Beyond accreditation concerns, the audit revealed low participation in academic research across most of the institutions and delayed completion of academic programmes by students, largely due to weak supervision mechanisms.
Akol warned that the continued operation of unaccredited campuses and expired programmes threatens the credibility and integrity of Uganda’s higher education system.
“These vices undermine the integrity of Uganda’s higher education system,” the report states.
The findings are expected to prompt stronger oversight from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the NCHE, as government seeks accountability for the substantial public investment in the universities.
University administrators have yet to formally respond to the audit findings.
