In Uganda,Makerere University has withdrawn disciplinary summons against two staff members

Makerere University has withdrawn disciplinary summons it had issued to two staff members to appear before the university appointments committee

Fatuma Nakatudde and Paul Apunyo who served as deputy registrar and senior administrative assistant at the college of Health Sciences respectively, were summoned over allegations of altering students’ marks and including unqualified students on the 2017 graduation list. 

In a letter dated June 18, the university secretary Lawrence Ssanyu notes that by the time of issuing the notice, they were not aware that the High court had prohibited the university from conducting any disciplinary action against the two staff.

“We apologize for summoning you before the appointments board when there was an order of the court prohibiting the university from conducting disciplinary proceedings against your clients,” the letter reads in part.

The duo had in 2018 been relieved of their duties by the appointments board after they were accused of altering students’ marks. However, they challenged their dismissal in the staff appeals tribunal which quashed the appointments board’s decision. The tribunal ordered for a fresh and proper disciplinary hearing within 60 days. But the time elapsed without the implementation of the decision.

They later dragged Makerere to the civil division of High court for contempt of orders of the appeals tribunal. In April this year, justice Musa Ssekaana ruled in their favour – noting that attempts to prosecute the two beyond the time granted by the tribunal are illegal, irrational, unjust and discriminatory.

Makerere University has in the past been dragged to courts of law by staff for issuing unlawful orders and abuse of authority among others. In most of the cases, the university has lost and been fined hundreds of millions by courts.