Makerere University Secretary Demands shs900m from Prof Nawangwe for removing him from WhatsApp group, locking him out of office

Charles Barugahare, the Makerere University Secretary has appealed to the High Court in Kampala to throw the university’s Vice Chancellor (Prof Barnabas Nawangwe) in jail for reportedly removing him from top financial managers’ Whatsapp group as well as for contempt of court.

Barugahare has also accused Prof Nawangwe of keeping him out of office despite completing the his 3 months “illegal leave” which ended on September 30^th 2020.

Barugahare has compiled a bundle of complaints including his removal from the Whatsapp forum of top financial managers of Makerere (MAK CM FINANCE). Apparently, Nawangwe personally removed him with the aim of depriving him of access to classified information relating to the management of financial affairs of the University which he is entitled to as an accounting officer.

According to court documents, Nawangwe is expected to appear before the judge on Tuesday 3rd November. The lawyers want Nawangwe to explain himself why he shouldn’t be sent to prison for contempt of court in addition to having all his personal property sold off in order to recover UGX 900M.

“It is just and equitable that the respondents be ordered to pay compensation of UGX 800,000,000/= (Uganda Shillings Eight Hundred Million only) for the contumacious conduct and in order to purge the contempt.” Part of the document reads.

“It is just and equitable that the respondents pay a fine to the tune of UGX 100,000,000/= (Uganda Shillings One Hundred Million only) to purge his contempt.” The statement adds.

Nawangwe is expected to appear in court alongside Yusuf Kiranda, the official who took over Barugahare’s job.  

Barugahare claims that Nawangwe and other officials have continued to harass and keep him out of office contrary to clear court orders. It is said that Prof Nawangwe constituted a committee headed by Prof Sarah Kiguli to investigate Barugahare over misconduct allegations.

The now bitter Barugahare wants court to send Nawangwe to prison in case he fails to pay the compensation amounting to UGX 800M as well as a fine of UGX 100M, which totals up to UGX 900M.

“The respondents are in contempt of the court orders and should be committed to civil prison for unpurged contempt.” The document reads further.

Barugahare also claims that Nawangwe caused his official Makerere email address cbarugahare@admin@mak.ac.ug to be deactivated and his name removed from staff mailing list.

According to  Barugahare’s lawyer James Akampumuza, a former law professor at Makerere, Nawangwe should be severely punished for carrying out activities aimed tarnishing employees’ reputations.