Makerere VC Barya faces probe over grant

In the letter, she says NUFFIC funding catered for the beneficiaries’ tuition and functional fees, research books, data collection and analysis and facilitation for short visits to the Netherlands to work with their international supervisors.
“Other research activities especially theory and model testing and validation; thesis writing and printing remain to be done and thus need funding,” she wrote.

Ombudsman Raphael Baku confirmed on Monday that his office is investigating the alleged discrepancies. There are also queries about the spending of Euros72, 750 (Shs218m) project administration funds.

Makerere’s director for Graduate Studies and Research, Prof. Eli Katunguka, has written to the university council chairman, Eng. Wana Etyem, outlining what he considers irregularities such as non-registration of the PhD students with his directorate, missing project agreement document, non-payment of tuition for the scholarship beneficiaries and exclusion of the university administration from the project execution.

“This predisposes the project to fraud and mismanagement,” Prof. Katunguka’s January 13 letter reads in part.
He added: “The project should be investigated and fresh audits by international auditors conducted to reveal the scope of the mismanagement of NUFFIC funds.”

Dodgy VC
Eng. Etyem said on Wednesday that the concerns raised are of “administrative nature”.
“Sometimes people feel they are not being heard promptly and that is why they appeal to the chairman, he said by telephone.

“I received the letter and have instructed relevant organs of the university to advise me before I can respond”.
Prof. Katunguka said the VC was being dodgy over the accountability.

The grant was supposed to benefit 20 PhD students.

tbutagira@ug.nationmedia.com