Pastor Bugingo at crossroads after NCHE "nullifies" his degree
House of Prayer Ministries senior pastor Aloysius Bugingo and fellow graduates from Kayiwa International University have been left at crossroads after the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) declared their degrees “illegal”.
The Kayiwa University held a graduation on Friday, where Bugingo graduated with a Bachelors of Theology and Integrated Studies.
Several other graduates where awarded with degrees, diplomas and certificates in theological studies and other disciplines.
Like any other graduates, these were also looking ahead to what next in their lives.
In letter dated June 10, 2022 however, the NCHE dashed the hopes of the graduates after it declared that these degrees and certificates were illegal.
According to the NCHE, Kayiwa International University (KINTU) was licensed in September 2015 and gazetted in April 2016 under license number UI.PL027, but the license was revoked three years later.
“In 2018, NCHE issued an intention to revoke giving them six months to work on their areas of weakness. In May 2019, a reminder was sent to KINTU to submit their defence in line with the intention to revoke…..," the letter read in part.
"On August 23, 2019 during the 52nd sitting of Council, NCHE revoked the licence and this was gazetted in March 2020, published in the media and KINTU was informed," the letter adds.
According to the body, KINTU since then has ceased to be recognised as a university in Uganda and any academic activities carried out in the name of KINTU are illegal.
"We want to inform the general public that the awards arising from today’s graduation by the defunct KINTU ae not recognised by the NCHE and should not be used for employment or further studies in Uganda and anywhere in the world," NCHE noted.
The new developments however did not deter controversial Bugingo from celebrating his milestone.
The pastor went on through the night, celebrating his win in an overnight prayers hosted by his church in Kampala.
Officials at KINTU told journalists that NCHE was unfair in its decision, saying that their university was licensed in the United States of America.
