Dr. Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi was yesterday elected by the General Assembly of Forum for Academic Staff of Public Universities in Uganda (FASPU) as the new chairperson. The voting went down at Kyambogo University and Kamunyu, who also doubles the Chairperson for Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) emerged the winner.
Other members on the executive include Robert Kakuru from Makerere University as the Executive Secretary, Julius Taremwa from Mbarara University of Science and Technology as Deputy Executive Secretary.
Dr Robert Ojambo from Kyambogo University was elected the forum’s spokesperson while other chairpersons from the nine public university Academic Staff associations will become co-chairs, according to the forum’s rules.
According to Dr Kamunyu, the forum has been largely seen as a salary enhancement establishment yet it has great potential of doing better.
He added that the union will among other things push for research collaborations among academic staff, members welfare, provide for co-operation among the academic staff from different public universities.
While speaking after the election, Rev. Dr Grace Lubaale, the outgoing FASPU chairperson admitted that his successor will lead the forum in the right direction.
It is worthy recalling that FASPU was formed in 2017 to enhance negotiations of academic staff with the government and any other institution by bringing all public universities association together for a common cause without removing any power of the independence of each staff association in their respective universities.
