Henry Mwebe, the controversial Legal Director of Makerere University, has resigned from office. Mwebe has been the brain behind most of the decisions taken by the University council, management and other organs because as part of his job, he had to provide advice to these organs when it came to drafting agreements, contracts, memorandas and other legal documents.
It is still unclear why Mwebe resigned from office but sources indicate that he could have secured a job with an international development agency. Reports show that he quietly handed over office to his junior, Hudson Musoke after clearing his desk and notified his staff that he was going on leave for a month till March.
However, the University Appointments Board heard from officials from the Legal Directorate on Tuesday that Mwebe deleted everything from his office computer before he left. Section 16.2 of the 2009 Makerere Human Resources Manual provides for Voluntary Termination of a contract by having a duly written and signed resignation notice.
It states that all notices of resignations (other than the Vice‐Chancellor and the Deputy Vice‐Chancellors whose resignation notices shall be addressed to the Chancellor through the Chairperson of Council), shall be addressed to the Director, Human Resources through their supervisors and forwarded to the appointing authority for consideration and appropriate decision.
This is something Mwebe did not do, yet as the Director Legal Affairs, he was expected to provide clear oral and written interpretation of laws and other statutory instruments relating to the University, ensure and facilitate the University’s compliance with the set policies, regulations and guidelines governing staff and students of the University.
Mwebe joined Makerere University on April 16th 2018, having been officially appointed substantive Director of Legal Affairs on April 6th on a five-year contract. He replaced Canon Goddy Muhanguzi Muhumuza, who served as Acting Director for two years and five months. During Mwebe’s term of office, his legal guidance to the University management triggered clashes between staff and students against management.
It should be noted that, Mwebe’s resignation comes at a time when Makerere University is battling close to 100 cases in courts of law and 20 others in Makerere Staff Tribunal.
