The Makerere University Academic Staff Association (Muasa) has condemned what it calls “unsubstantiated and damaging” accusations by Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe, following a public speech in which he accused the association of sabotaging university leadership.
The remarks were made during a tribute to the late Prof. Livingstone Luboobi, a former vice chancellor of the university. Professor Nawangwe lauded Luboobi’s quiet resilience and accused Muasa of having treated him with hostility during his tenure.
“Of all the vice chancellors, Prof. Luboobi was probably the calmest, but he suffered the most from the wrath of Muasa,” Nawangwe said.
“At one point, they attempted to remove him through what they called a vote of no confidence. That’s how misguided they were. They didn’t even understand the law.”
He praised Luboobi for his calmness in the face of what he described as personal attacks, claiming the professor’s opponents—mainly within Muasa—resisted reform and clashed frequently with the administration.
“While others were confrontational, Prof Luboobi remained silent and focused. His intellect was far above the pettiness of those trying to sabotage him,” Nawangwe added.
He further alleged that Muasa members routinely leak negative stories to what he described as “corrupt journalists,” and labelled the association a "monster" that past vice chancellors had suffered under.
During Prof Luboobi's tenure, Muasa was led by then History lecturer Dr Tanga Odoi, who is now the NRM Electoral Commission chairman.
Dr Odoi told the Nile Post in a brief phone that he was "not in a position to talk" about the allegations.
However, the current Muasa leadership has taken exception to Nawangwe's claims.
In a strongly worded rebuttal, Muasa General Secretary Prof Jude Ssempabwa decried the vice chancellor’s statements as misleading and inappropriate, especially at a memorial function.
“It was disappointing that a vice chancellor—and a Muasa member himself—chose a public tribute to smear the association without providing any evidence,” Ssempabwa told the Nile Post.
“Muasa is a statutory body governed by the same law that empowers his office. His remarks were not only unfortunate but unprofessional.”
Ssempabwa insisted that Muasa has always followed democratic and legal processes in its dealings with university management.
“I listened to his speech. He did not cite any specific incidents or provide facts. Under common law, the one who alleges must prove,” he said.
“If a vote of no confidence was ever proposed, the important question is why. The Vice Chancellor didn’t address that.”
The association, he added, comprises academic professionals dedicated to advancing higher education in Uganda.
He said it was “regrettable” that Prof. Nawangwe chose to paint Muasa as an impediment to progress without recognising its role in advocating for transparency, academic freedom, and proper governance.
“These allegations could damage Muasa’s reputation if left unchallenged,” said Ssempabwa, revealing that the association’s executive committee would meet in the coming week to consider a formal response to the Vice Chancellor’s remarks.
He also rejected the insinuation that MUASA had engaged in leaking information to the media, describing it as “a reckless generalisation” with no basis.
“If he believes there are individuals leaking confidential information, he should deal with them specifically and through the proper university disciplinary channels—not attack the whole association,” Ssempabwa said.
Prof. Luboobi, who led Makerere during a tumultuous era, is remembered for mentoring many current academic leaders, including Prof. Nawangwe. During his tribute, Nawangwe acknowledged Luboobi’s influence on his own career, including introducing him to international academia and research management.
Yet the Vice Chancellor’s decision to turn a eulogy into a platform for attacking MUASA has drawn criticism for lacking decorum and context. The controversy now threatens to strain relations between the academic staff association and the university administration at a time when unity is crucial for institutional progress.
MUASA insists that it will not allow its mandate to be undermined by what it calls “personal attacks masquerading as institutional critique.”