Former Makerere University Appointments Board Chairperson Bruce Balaba Kabasa and Ruhinda North MP, Thomas Tayebwa were nominated as members representing the public to the Makerere University Council much to the disbelief but prior prediction by the Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA).
The two were nominated jointly with Daniel Fred Kidega, the former Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
Interestingly however, the two and former Council chairman Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem were cited in a letter from the lecturers’ association threatening industrial action if they are “smuggled back onto council through the public window”.
A section of MUASA members stormed the main building to express their displeasure over the return of Kabasa and Tayebwa and it took heavy deployment of police led by the Makerere University Chief of Security ACP Enock Abeine to prevail over the fracas they had caused.
Government appointed three representatives to the council namely: Lorna Magara that was later voted chairperson, city lawyer Kiwanuka Kiryowa and former Internal Affairs Permanent Secretary Stephen Kagoda.
Dr Sarah Ssali and Prof. Noble Banadda are the new representatives of Senate to the council while Prof. Tumps Ireeta and Dr Hellen Nkabala will represent MUASA. Joseph Musoke was re-elected to represent the support staff.
The Makerere University Convocation will be represented by their Chairperson and NRM Electoral Commission chairman Dr Frederick Tanga-Odoi while Makerere LCV Woman Councillor Doreen Nyanjura will be the KCCA representative. Students are represented by the guild president and his vice Salim Were and Fiona Kokoi respectively.
The Makerere University Council has a total of 24 Members and is established by the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act of 2001.
Reacting to the new university council, Dr Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi the MUASA chairperson protested the inclusion of Tayebwa and Kabasa on behalf of the association saying that they had not only overstayed but also tainted the image of the University.
