I AM DISTURBED TO SEE LECTURERS TIME THE BEGINNING OF SEMESTERS TO GET THEIR GRIEVANCES ADDRESSED

The closure of Kyambogo University is most unfortunate. This is blamable on the Lecturers who mistimed the action to see their Vice Chancellor investigated. The question is, why did these people wait and instead timed the opening of the semester? It is a sign of irresponsibility on their part. If there are genuine reasons why the Vice Chancellor should be investigated, why time when students are back? There are so many organs where these lecturers should have taken their complaints. We ought to be responsible people while we execute our duties. In case some of these lecturers are not aware, majority of the students who attend at the University have to pay for accommodation, they must have paid for this prior to the opening of the semester, what happens next? It means they have to pay a bigger deal. It is said that while the University Council had resolved to have a side the Vice Chancellor investigated and other staff, the President came up with a communication which required the man and those he has been accused with back on job. The question is, why couldn’t the President allow these people a side? Worldwide, people step aside and they are investigated. When we call for a change of regime, we look at all this rot. People find it hard to raise money to support their children in high institutions of learning, where because of politics, Government still pays fees and other benefits for a few children, instead of having the money spent on infrastructure to improve the learning environment so that at the end of it, all students can pay a reasonable amount instead of a few sponsoring the others. I am of the opinion that the University is re – opened and students get the lectures as expected. There is no big deal why one person should make all students suffer. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ KYAMBOGO CLOSED: HOW MUSEVENI LETTER THREW UNIVERSITY IN MORE CONFUSION

Kyambogo University Administration Building Friday, 31 August 2012 00:58 Written by IMMACULATE WANYENZE & MOSES TALEMWA President Museveni sent a seven-page letter in which he directed the council to reinstate Ndiege as investigations into his alleged misconduct continued. Kyambogo University was yesterday shut down until further notice, after staff rejected a decision by the university council reinstating Vice Chancellor Prof Isaiah Omolo Ndiege. Staff had been content with a council decision that initially asked Ndiege to step aside pending investigations into his alleged misconduct. However, The Observer understands that President Museveni sent a seven-page letter in which he directed the council to reinstate Ndiege as investigations into his alleged misconduct continued. The President reportedly argued in his letter that the strike leaders were misguided and had been influenced by elements in the opposition to fight the government. After Ndiege’s suspension was announced, it appeared as if the worst would be averted, with some lecturers suggesting they would return to work. However, all hell broke loose after Museveni’s directive. Sources in the Ministry of Education, to whom the letter was copied, say it fell to State Minister for Sports Charles Bakabulindi to persuade the council to reverse its own decision on Tuesday. “We called a meeting in which we sensitized the council on its responsibilities and then advised them to reinstate the vice chancellor,” Bakabulindi said. When the university council chairperson Prof John Okedi communicated the decision to staff on Wednesday, the staff dismissed it immediately and resolved to go on strike, a day after they had offered to return to work to allow an investigation to proceed. The decision prompted Bakabulindi to hold a three-hour meeting with the leaders of striking staff at Hotel Africana on Wednesday, in which he demanded that they return to work. “I told them that if they are unhappy they can’t be the accuser, prosecutor and judge. I also told them that if they are indeed in charge of the strike, they should convince their colleagues to return to work, because we can’t have the entire management out and expect things to continue,” he explained. But Jackson Betihamah, the chairman of the Kyambogo University Senior Staff Association (KYUSSA) later said they would continue with the strike until Ndiege leaves the university. “We understand they [the Ministry of Education] are the supreme body and we respect their decision hoping they respond to our queries soon,” Betihamah said. The strike started a fortnight ago when KYUSSA got upset by Ndiege’s letter to the council in which he rejected a staff request for an increment in allowances and later raised other complaints. “We have taught in this institution for several years and we are not about to leave. This is how much we are committed to the university but we are never considered for promotions,” Betihamah said. Sensing trouble, university council chairperson, Prof John Okedi, called a special meeting at Hotel Africana on Sunday evening which resolved that senior management step aside pending investigations. The university spokesman, Lawrence Madete, communicated the decision on Monday afternoon. Those affected included Prof Ndiege; university secretary, Samuel Akorimo; academic registrar, Rose Bwire; dean of students, Winifred Buga; dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Dr. Cyprian Adupa; acting dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Daudi Mugisa; head of the Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Micheal Kyakula and head of Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Francis Gidongo. Others are the head of department, Sociology and Social Administration, Dr. Deborah Mulumba; senior procurement officer, Richard Muwanguzi; former acting estates officer, Christine Kyayonka and deputy registrar of admissions, Ambrose Aryeija. Some senior staff retorted that the forced leave was unfair, arguing that council based its decision on hearsay. wanyenze@observer.ug mtalemwa@observer.ug