Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) received a Parliamentary Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation who were on a monitoring visit on Science, Innovation and Technology (STI) on October 13th 2023.
The committee headed by Hon. Regimio Achia was established in 2016 by parliament, is mandated to review and adjust Science Technology and Innovation in the country; monitor and evaluate what is happening in the country and report to parliament every six months; monitor the use of funds given to public universities and other institutions, and guide the country on science, made its first visit to MMU since becoming a public University effective 1st July 2022.
The committee that also included Hon. Maj (Rtd) Dr.Okullo J. Anthony, Hon. Clare Mugumya, Hon. Polycarp Gwari Hon. Sansa Okot , Hon. Alex Ndeezi Hon. Okot Alex Henry Sarah. The Members of Parliament (MPs) also had Ms Alice Nyamwenge Musinguzi the Clerk among other parliament staff, appreciated MMU for the direction it was taking towards Science, Technology and Innovation.
The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pius Coxwell Achanga appreciated the government for turning MMU into the 10th Public University in Uganda. He highlighted the achievements MMU had got in the 1st year of government takeover and as well called upon the government to increase more funding to the institution especially in the areas of physical infrastructure and research due to the growing numbers of student population.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration Assoc. Prof. Kagambe Edmond requested members of the STI committee through their mandate as MPs to champion the establishment of the Medical School and Engineering Faculty of MMU by taking over of the College of Health Sciences at Buhinga Hospital and Kichwamba Technical College.
The STI committee appreciated the work done by MMU through community engagement activities especially in the areas of agriculture through farming groups that has changed the lives of farmers in around Rwenzori Region and beyond and increased incomes of households.
The hope of the MPs was that MMU puts the monies given to the University by government for Research and Innovation into good use. They finally visited the MMU radio and held a 20 minutes talk show before departure.
Hon. Regimio Achia indicated that as a committee they were concerned that government was treating knowledge providers as lecturers and professors as public servants and proposed that they would table a bill in parliament to extend the retirement age of lecturers and professors to 70 & 80 years respectively. “At 60 years, that’s when someone is prime at knowledge provision and a mentor, why let them retire?” he wondered.
He a gave reference to many of the Public Universities’ retirees who are being absorbed by the neighboring countries as Rwanda.
