In Bugiri
eastnews.co.ug
Government has finalized plans to take over the defunct Busoga University, State Minister for Higher Education, Chrizestom Muyingo has disclosed.
Muyingo made the remarks on July 30 while touring Busoga University Main Branch in Bugiri.
He said the Ministry of Education had visited all the campuses and examined all its assets and proved that it was worthy turning into a government university.
“Any time from now the university will become operational,” he said.
Muyingo said he was going to meet the President and furnish him with a report about the findings so that he can instruct the relevant authorities to start clearing debts the university had accrued.
He hailed the church for donating big chunks of land that will be used to set up structures to house the university projects in future.
The takeover of the university by government had been delayed for some time after a group of former employees sued Central Busoga Diocese claiming they had not been consulted about the transactions between government and the church.
However during recent meetings conducted between church officials and the Auditor general, the employees later decided to withdraw the case from court.
The LC 5 Chairman Iganga, Patrick Kayemba said some politicians were taking advantage of the misunderstandings between the church and former employees to speak ill of him saying he had failed to execute his duties as chairperson of the task force.
Kayemba said the university in the area will help spur development in besides create job opportunities to youths in the area.
The Bishop Central Busoga Diocese, Patrick Wakula said the university had accrued debts amounting to shillings 16 billion but was optimistic they would be cleared by government.
Wakula urged government to follow guidelines given by the church whilst in operation saying it still has a stake in the running of the university.
“We agreed that there should not be a mosque in the university since its church founded,” he said.
He urged Ugandans to vote for the ruling NRM government during the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections saying it’s the only government determined to improve education levels amongst the population.
Also in attendance was the LC 5 chairman Bugiri, Hajji Marijani Azalwa, former Bishop Busoga Diocese, and Michael Kyomya among other leaders from Busoga region.
