11 sacked Mak dons appeal, tribunal sets hearing date

Kampala. At least 11 sacked Makerere University dons have run to the staff tribunal to challenge what they have called “unfair dismissal”.
The university on December 22, 2018, fired 45 teaching staff from the university over abscondment from duty, failure to complete studies, financial fraud and insubordination, among others.
The affected lecturers, who have since denied any wrongdoing, protested their dismissal, including orders from the Vice Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, to return public funds they received for no work done.
Makerere University tribunal has set the dates for the hearing of the appeal for the displeased staff.
Some of the sacked staff have been attacking the university management over continued failure to finance the tribunal. They want their appeals handled expeditiously.
Although 11 sacked dons have appealed, the list at the appeal registry has 25 staff. The tribunal will hear appeals from additional 14 staff who are dissatisfied with various university decisions.
The hearing of different staff appeals starts next week on February 26 to March 15.
The sacked staff who have appealed to the tribunal include Prof Charles Niwagaba, an Associate professor (Civil and Environmental Engineering), James Ocita, lecturer, Literature, John Mushomi, assistant lecturer, Population Studies, Swizen Kyomuhendo, lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Denis Assimwe, and Juma Anthony Okuku, lecturer, Political Science and Public Administration.
Ms Olive Darlia Buhule, assistant lecturer, Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, James Kisoro, Web administrator, College of Agriculture, and Haroon Sseguya have also appealed their dismissal.
Others are Peace Tumuheki, assistant registrar and Peres Arinaitwe, an accountant. These were sacked over accusations of insubordination and failure to perform official duties.
Mr Isaac Ssemakadde, the lawyer representing the sacked staff, confirmed the summons to the tribunal and explained that it was a good development and good news to his clients who had waited for long to have their cases heard.
“We hope that the outcomes of the judicial proceedings shall be respected by the management…”
Prof Nawangwe said as the university, they are ready to take on all those aggrieved staff who appealed against the university decision.
“The university is always ready for any case and I can assure you that we are set for those staff who appealed,” Prof Nawangwe said in a telephone interview.
He also dismissed claims that the tribunal had taken long without sitting because the university has failed to finance it. He explained that the tribunal delayed to hear those cases because it was not fully constituted.
The sacked staff have also petitioned Parliament, citing improprieties that the university.