Ddumba denies role in Makerere job contracts
Prof Ddumba is in the race to retain his VC position
What you need to know:
The petitioners claim that the university administration proceeded with the recruitment process to fill the two administrative posts through appraisal of the incumbents contrary to the advice of the senior legal officer
KAMPALA. Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof Ddumba Ssentamu has denied allegations of reappointment of the Academic Registrar and University Secretary.
Prof Ddumba was replying to claims contained in a case where two staff sued the university seeking to stop the process of appointing the academic registrar, Mr Alfred Masikye Namoah and the university secretary Mr David Kahundha.
Two university staff, Ms Fatumah Nakatudde and Ms Euzobia Naine, petitioned the High Court challenging the ongoing recruitment process for the positions of academic registrar and university secretary.
“I am not the chairperson of the University Council nor did I attend the said meeting of the University Council though I am a member thereof by virtue of my position as Vice Chancellor of Makerere University and I would normally attend the council meetings,” read part of Prof Ddumba’s reply to the claims.
According to the court documents, Prof Ddumba says he received a letter from Eng. Dr Wana Etyem, the chairperson of the University Council dated December 31, 2014 informing him that they had resolved to extend the service contracts of the academic registrar and the university secretary.
He says he did not initiate in anyway the process of extending the said contracts, but they were only referred to him by the University Council chairman.
“I am under obligation to effect all orders given to me by the University Council which is the supreme governance organ of the university,” he added.
The petitioners Ms Fatumah Nakatudde and Ms Euzobia Naine, both administrative staff, claim it is illegal to carry out reappointment and promotion of the university’s administrative staff basing on appraisals.
They say senior positions at Makerere University which are due to fall vacant at the end of this year should be advertised externally as is the established practice. They claim the University Council had decided that the senior positions would be advertised externally to allow competitive applications to attract the best candidates for the jobs.
The petitioners claim that the university administration proceeded with the recruitment process to fill the two administrative posts through appraisal of the incumbents contrary to the advice of the senior legal officer.
