UCU Ordered To Pay Student UGX 100 Million In Graduation Dispute

The High Court in Kampala has awarded 100 million shillings as compensation for general damages to a law student after finding that Uganda Christian University (UCU) acted irrationally and unfairly in handling the transfer of her academic credits from King’s College London in the United Kingdom. In a ruling delivered on Friday via ECCMIS, Civil Division Judge Bernard Namanya has ruled that UCU’s decision to question its former Guild President, Samantha Mwesigye’s transferred credits at the final stage of her Bachelor of Laws programme was tainted by irrationality, procedural impropriety, and a breach of her legitimate expectations.

Records before the Court show that Mwesigye joined UCU in August 2022 after completing her first year of the Bachelor of Laws programme at King’s College London. Her admission letter, signed by Christa K. Oluka, Director, Academic Affairs, stated that she had been admitted on the basis of “transfer of credits,” thereby allowing her to proceed directly to Semester Two of Year One.

However, after nearly four years of study and as she approached graduation in July 2026, the University informed her that she was required to complete four additional courses. She was asked to undertake the Bible, Legal Writing, Fundamentals of Criminal Law, and Constitutional History before she would be allowed to graduate. The university also demanded that she obtain a certificate of equivalence from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) to validate the credits earned in the United Kingdom.

Through her lawyers, led by Ferdinand Tumuhaise from Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA), Mwesigye was forced to seek judicial review of the University’s position. She argued that UCU’s actions were illegal, irrational, procedurally unfair, and contrary to the legitimate expectation created when the University admitted her on transferred credits. UCU raised a preliminary objection asking the court to dismiss the case for being premature.

UCU noted that they had not rendered any decision regarding Mwesigye’s grievances, except for telling her that she was supposed to study the said course units.

Justice Namanya ruled that the university’s admission letter clearly demonstrated that Mwesigye had been admitted through a credit transfer arrangement and that UCU could not later deny that fact. “The respondent recognised the applicant’s transfer of credits from King’s College London at the time of admission in 2022, but later and without rational basis purported to withdraw that recognition in 2026 when the applicant was on the verge of graduation,” the judge ruled.

The court rejected UCU’s argument that Mwesigye had been admitted based solely on her secondary school qualifications.

Justice Namanya held that such assertions contradicted the university’s written admission letter and could not override documentary evidence.The judge also faulted UCU for failing to communicate, at the time of admission, any requirement that Mwesigye obtain a certificate of equivalence from NCHE before her credits could be recognised.

According to the court, neither the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act nor the policies relied upon by the university required a transferring student to produce such a certificate. The Judge stated that if UCU intended to impose that condition, it was obligated to communicate it clearly and in writing at the point of admission. The court further noted that throughout her studies, Mwesigye was allowed to progress academically without objection.

She was also vetted and cleared to contest for the position of Guild President, a role that required candidates to have a satisfactory academic record and no unresolved academic deficiencies.

Justice Namanya observed that the University’s conduct demonstrated that it had accepted her transferred credits and regarded her as academically compliant. He relied on a letter issued by UCU in April 2026 introducing Mwesigye to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs as a student *awaiting graduation* describing the university’s later position as inconsistent and irrational. The court has found that UCU violated Mwesigye’s right to fair administrative treatment under Article 42 of the Constitution by failing to provide a formal written response to her concerns and by communicating key decisions informally.

Justice Namanya has held that the University’s actions created a legitimate expectation that her credits had been accepted and that she would graduate without being subjected to additional academic requirements at the end of her course.

While declining to interfere with the University’s statutory mandate over academic affairs and the conferment of degrees, the court exercised its supervisory jurisdiction over the decision-making process and arrived at a conclusion that UCU had acted unlawfully. The court declared that UCU’s failure to transfer Mwesigye’s first-year credits from King’s College London was tainted by irrationality and procedural impropriety and amounted to a breach of her legitimate expectation.

Justice Namanya awarded her 100 million shillings in general damages, saying the university’s conduct had caused loss, inconvenience, suffering, and unfair treatment. The award will attract interest at 25 percent per annum from the date of judgment today until all the money is paid. The University was also ordered to pay the costs of the suit-URN.

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