Iganga, Uganda: A section of Busoga leaders and residents have petitioned President Museveni to intervene in the case against Prof. Juma Waswa Balunywa, the former Principal of Makerere University Business School (MUBS), who is facing prosecution over alleged irregular recruitment of three staff members.
Speaking at a press conference held on Wednesday, August 20, at Ntinda Valley Resort Hotel in Iganga, the group, clad in white T-shirts bearing Balunywa’s portrait and the slogan “Hands off Prof. Balunywa,” accused “unsuspecting individuals” of orchestrating malicious allegations to tarnish the reputation of the respected educationist.
Prof. Balunywa is accused by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of having abused his office between March 18–28, 2023, by recruiting James Arike as an administrative assistant without the required qualifications. The DPP contends that Balunywa bypassed standard recruitment procedures.
However, his supporters argue that during his long service at MUBS, no fraud was ever registered and that the current accusations are meant to undermine his legacy. “There are procedures for recruitment at any university. How can you say the Principal is the one who gives out jobs? Where was the HR department?” asked Mr. Muhammad Kazungu, an educationist and rights advocate.
Iganga Municipal Council Speaker Sengoba Musa urged the President to order a review of the DPP’s file, warning that failure to act could trigger mass mobilization in Busoga.
“Our message is to ask President Museveni to intervene by giving a directive to the DPP to revise the file of Prof Balunywa. In the same way, if the president is not willing to listen, we are ready to mobilize the people of Busoga to give a message which may seem hectic for him to contain,” Sengoba said, calling on people to unite for Balunywa’s case.
The LC3 Nawaningi Sub County in Iganga district, Ndhaye Yakubu, said there are people in Busoga who are conniving with outsiders to fight key figures in the region. “I am asking the government to come out on this matter. There is a clique of people fighting this region, and we shall soon be compelled to mention them,” Ndhaye said.
On behalf of the civil societies in the press conference, Mr. Abdallah Kasalawo Kikalangafu says Busoga has been peaceful without interference and attributed all these emerging incidents to people who don’t wish good to the region. He said they have kicked off and will stand to act against matters affecting Busoga.
“Today is just the start of this matter, and we hope to mobilize for a match on Saturday, and we shall mobilize all places in Busoga and show our dissatisfaction to the government by matching. We look as if Busoga is not important, and therefore I asked my people to rise up and save our Busoga,” Mr. Kasalawo said.
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