Church asks govt to reopen Busoga varsity

The Church of Uganda has written to the Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni, seeking statutory instruments to enable the reopening of Iganga-based Busoga University.

The university, which was founded in 1999, had its license revoked in 2017 by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) for allegedly lacking qualified staff, teaching uncredited courses and awarding fake degrees to more than 1,000 students, mainly of South Sudanese descent.

But in his August 9 letter, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kaziimba, said: “I request you [Ms Museveni] to cause the government to expedite the enactment of the statutory instrument establishing Busoga University this year, and in any case not later than the month of September 2024.”

According to the Church of Uganda, “every condition set for the reopening of the University has been fulfilled after several discussions with concerned parties, including the government represented by the Ministry of Education and Sports, Registered Trustee of the Church of Uganda, and Busoga University.

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The letter added: “. . . We bring to your notice that the third party (Busoga University) and the second party (the registered trustees of the Church of Uganda) have completed the transfer of the land and properties to the government of Uganda in the names of the Uganda Land Commission-Ministry of Education and sports.”

In February 2018, the university was handed over to the Ministry of Education to expedite its reopening as a public institution following a directive by President Museveni.

In April 2018, the state minister for Higher Education, Dr Chrysostom Muyingo, was appointed to chair the committee to spearhead its takeover as a public institution.

In July 2023, the Ministry of Education and Sports appointed a six-member taskforce committee headed by Prof John Tabuti to kick start the process of reopening the institution.

The Church, however, questioned why reopening the university still hangs in the balance despite the efforts.

“Reference is made to the directive of His Excellency the President to take over Mountain of the Moon and Busoga universities. . . It is now seven years since that directive was made,” the letter further read.

A memorandum of agreement signed on February 2, 2022, stipulated that the Ministry of Education and Sports shall take over the assets, ascertained and agreed liabilities of the former Busoga University, which were verified and confirmed by the Auditor General.

It was also agreed that the assets shall comprise real and the corporeal assets used and held for the beneficial interest of former Busoga University in whatever name registered, particularly Church of Uganda or Busoga University Limited, as verified by the Auditor General.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr Jane Egau Okou, said: “There is nothing to say about this issue (the reopening); let people continue talking because they have a right to say what is good or bad.”

Sources, however, say the University is expected to officially reopen in the next academic year (2025/2026).