Gov’t finalises takeover of Busoga University

The government has Wednesday, completed the takeover of Busoga University which has been non operational since 2017.

The development was confirmed by First Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga who revealed that the government had completed the process it had embarked on since January 8, 2018.

“Today the Government has taken over Busoga University. It has been a long journey since January 8, 2018, When H.E the President directed the commencement of the process,” Kadaga announced today.

The announcement comes on backdrop of the agreement concluded in July last year, between government and the university management over the former’s take over of the university.

During the meeting attended by President Museveni, and the University steering committee led by Kadaga, Minister of State for Higher Education Chrysostom Muyingo and Bishop His Grace Bishop Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, it was agreed that government takes over Busoga University as a public institution with its Shs15b loan.

“We shall pay the loan when we know what the money was used for and if this money was spent on public efforts.” Museveni said in July.

The president had also noted that the take over was part of the NRM policy to have a public university in the original 18 colonial zones of Uganda.

“In Busoga, we are going to build a public university there (Namasagali). As that happens, the idea of taking over this private university is a good one.” Museveni said last year.

The President said the government would build a marine Institute for engineering and operations at Namasagali.

“We want to have a marines institute. When we want to train marine people, they go to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania or Mombasa in Kenya. I want Namasagali to concentrate on Marines training. On the other campuses, we shall develop courses that we know are marketable. If we have agreed on land, audited debts, and removed the case, all issues are now settled,” he said.

At the same meeting, Busoga diocese had also agreed to hand over Busoga University and its assets to the government as a public institution.

Busoga University was founded by Busoga Diocese in 1998 with its headquarters in Iganga District.

However, In 2017, the university’s provisional license was revoked by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education, over a number of issues including accumulating debts and illegal recruitment of unqualified academic staff.

The university had however been given permission to reapply after two years, something that didn’t happen as it had embarked on talks with government over take over.