Court orders Makerere University to pay lecturer Shs 165 million for unfair dismissal

The High Court in Kampala has ordered Makerere University to pay salary arrears and emoluments totaling to Shs 165.5 million to Associate Professor, Charles Niwagaba for unfairly terminating his services from the university.

The court ordered Makerere to pay Dr.Niwagaba shs 115.5 million which would be his salary from January 2019 to the date of filing his suit and shs50 million as compensation for damages over illegal suspension at a six percent interest rate from the time of ruling until all the money is paid.

Dr. Niwagaba formerly attached to the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology  dragged the university to court for illegally dismissing him from work after being a target of victimization and when he appealed against the same before Staff Appeals Tribunal his appeal was thrown out.

In his ruling, Justice Andrew Bashaija said Niwagaba was victimized and charged falsely without being given a fair hearing as required by law.

The judge said that the lecturer’s appeal was never heard by the University Staff Appeals Tribunal and that neither was he treated fairly and justly in the discharge of the administrative duties.

The court ruled that Makerere never challenged the facts as presented by their former lecturer.

Justice Byabashaija therefore, ruled that the former lecturer missed emoluments and routine allowances after his dismissal and ordered Makerere University to pay it to him.

“The Applicant exhausted the respondent’s internal remedies before resorting to court for judicial review. He prayed for reliefs damages and compensation. Having succeeded in his case, and based on the evidence already evaluated and the law reviewed, the damages and compensation are awarded to the applicant,” the judge said.

Dr. Niwagaba was one of the 45 lecturers dismissed by Makerere University in 2018.