Mak Chancellor, Council disagree over firing Staff Tribunal boss  

Makerere University Council is under fire from the Chancellor, Prof Ezra Suruma, for firing the chairperson of the Staff Tribunal, Justice  Patrick Tabaaro, without consulting him and before the end of his term.

In a May 22 letter addressed to the University Council Chairperson, Prof Suruma said: “The law provides that the Chancellor is the sole appointing authority of the chairperson of the Tribunal and it also follows that only the said authority can lawfully remove the chairperson.” 

The woes between Justice Tabaro and the institution, started on April 6 when the university secretary halted activities of the staff tribunal following a directive of the Council. The Council based its directive on the guidance of the Attorney General.

In an April 6 letter addressed to Justice Tabaro, the university secretary and secretary to the Council, Mr Yusuf Kiranda, said the staff tribunal was not properly constituted.

However,  Prof Ezra said the University Council does not have powers to issue directives removing the Tribunal chairperson.

“It follows, therefore, that the purported removal of the chairperson of the Makerere University Staff Appeals Tribunal, ostensibly based on an opinion from the Attorney General, was made in violation of section 56(1)a of the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act,” Prof Ezra said.

Justice Tabaro’s contract was set to expire in about five weeks.

Prof Suruma said it is plausible that management’s abrupt termination of the Tribunal may have been intended to intimidate future members of the Staff Tribunal that it has the powers to punish them if they do not comply with management.

Prof Suruma instructed the University Council to reinstate Justice Tabaaro until his term expires.

Staff speak out

Makerere University Academic Staff Association (Muasa) Chairperson Robert Kakuru welcomed the directive that the Tribunal should continue its operations.

“It was our prayer that the Chancellor should intervene. We thank Prof Ezra Suruma, the Chancellor, for his proactive intervention. This will protect the independence of the Tribunal,” Dr Kakuru said.

Mr Kiranda, however, said the University Council is working on the concerns raised by Prof Suruma.

“The University Council chairperson responded to the concerns raised to the Chancellor’s letter and is further following up with him to resolve the concerns. The matter will be further discussed at the University Council meeting of June 21,”Mr Kiranda said.

Section 56(1) (a) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act (UOTIA), 2001 as amended states that “There shall be a University Staff Tribunal where staff grievances are settled.