Prof Katunguka appointed new Kyambogo varsity vice chancellor
Prof Elly Katunguka has for the last two years served in acting capacity. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Qualifications. One must be a Professor or an Associate Professor to qualify for this job.
- Experience. The candidate must have been a dean of students in any higher institution of learning
One must have been a senior management for the past eight years.
KAMPALA. Kyambogo University Council yesterday announced the appointment of Prof. Elly Katunguka as new Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university.
Prof Katunguka has for the last two years served in acting capacity but was confirmed to the VC position after he applied and successfully beat four other applicants to the position.
He took on from former VC, Prof. Isaiah Omolo Ndiege, whose contract expired on February, 11, 2014.
Addressing journalists at the university, the University Council chairperson, Prof John Okedi, announced that the new VC’s appointment letter is ready and would assume full responsibility anytime.
“Council is satisfied that the entire search process for a new VC has been extremely transparent and we are happy to announce Prof. Katunguka as the New VC in recognition of his contribution towards the development of the university while he served in acting capacity,”Prof. Okedi said.
Prof Ndiege was in 2014 forced out of office following unrest among students and lecturers over mismanagement of funds and poor learning infrastructure.
The lecturers downed their tools at the beginning of the semester demanding the resignation of the vice chancellor, an increment in their allowances and promotions.
Efforts to obtain a substantive VC however ended in shambles mid last year after the University Council cancelled the entire process claiming that the search committee did not forward the required number of candidates for this position.
Five dons had earlier applied for the job, but the search committee suddenly dropped three of them, forwarding just two, Prof Eli Katunguka and Dr Geoffrey Bakunda, to the senate for consideration.
But the university council cancelled the whole process on grounds that senate was supposed to forward names of three candidates as stipulated in the universities and other tertiary institutions Act.
The University Council in November last year re-appointed the new search committee which re-advertised this position.
Five Dons again applied for the position including Prof. Elly Katunguka, Mr Geoffrey Bakunda, Mr. Aaron Wanyama, Mr Ahmed Kasule and Mr Samuel Kucel.
Three names were forwarded to senate in March 2017, who interviewed the candidates and nominated three candidates recommending them to the University council.
Prof Katunguka emerged the winner, beating his counterparts Mr Bakunda and Mr Wanyama respectively.
However, despite the appointment of the new VC, many offices in the university including the Dean of Students and University secretary remain unoccupied since majority are in acting capacity.
The acting University Secretary, Mr Patrick Madaya, however, noted that the university is set to conduct interviews on Tuesday next week to appoint staff in offices which are not occupied.
“We already have candidates for both the position of the university secretary and dean of students and we are going to conduct interviews this Tuesday,”Mr Madaya said.
He also noted that the salaries for more than 800 university staff are yet to be paid by end of business on Friday after they threatened to strike.
Qualifications. One must be a Professor or an Associate Professor to qualify for this job.
Experience. The candidate must have been a dean of students in any higher institution of learning
One must have been a senior management for the past eight years.
