Mountains of the Moon University gets new VC

Prof Pius Coxwell Achanga and Prof John Massa Kasenene, have been appointed as Vice-Chancellor and deputy of Mountains of the Moon University, respectively. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • Prof Pius Coxwell Achanga and Prof John Massa Kasenene, have been appointed as Vice Chancellor and deputy, respectively.

As Mountains of the Moon gets to operationalise as a public university, it has received a new Vice Chancellor and deputy Vice Chancellor.

Prof Pius Coxwell Achanga and Prof John Massa Kasenene, have been appointed as Vice Chancellor and deputy, respectively.

“Following the provisions of Section 31 (2) & Section 32 (1) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act (2001) as amended, that empower the Chancellor, on the recommendation of the University Council, to appoint the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor of a Public University,

“ the Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) Chancellor, Prof Edward Bitanywaine Rugumayo appointed with immediate effect: Prof Dr Pius Coxwell Achanga as substantive VC and Prof John Massa Kasenene, as deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics & Outreach) of MMU as a public University, ” read in part the university October 7 press statement.

Mountains of the Moon University started as a private institute in March 2005.

However, in 2018 President Museveni directed the Education ministry to work out modalities for the takeover of the institution.

The ministry appointed a four-member taskforce committee on January 25, 2019 to guide the transition of the university.

The committee consisted of Prof Pius Coxwell Achanga as chairperson, Prof John M. Kasenene as Vice Chairperson, and Dr Edmond Kagambe and Ms Grace Kazooba Nyakahuma as members.

In January, Parliament approved Mountains of the Moon as the 10th public university of Uganda.


Who they are


VC, Prof Achanga.

Prof Achanga was the director of Quality Assurance and Accreditation at the National Council for Higher Education, where he was overseeing the licensure, establishment, planning, development, and strategic guidance of all higher education training institutions. Prior to that, he was the research associate at the Institute for Manufacturing, in the School of Engineering University of Cambridge (UK).

Deputy VC, Prof Kasenene. Prof Kasenene was the Vice Chancellor of Mountains of the Moon University from 2011 to 2022. He was also the principal Academic and Administrative Officer of the University. Before Mountains of the Moon, he was the professor of Forestry Ecology, Department of Botany at Makerere University and a senior research and training fellow at Makerere University Biological Field Station in Kibale Forest National Park.