KAMPALA – The former Principal of the Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Professor Waswa Balunywa, has been remanded to Luzira Prison after being charged with abuse of office.
This follows his long-awaited appearance in the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on Thursday, where he was formally presented to answer to the charges.
The prosecution alleges that Prof. Balunywa, while still at the helm of MUBS, abused his authority between February and April 2023. The specific accusation is that he irregularly recruited three individuals into the position of Administrative Assistants at the institution.
According to the charge sheet, the professor bypassed standard procedures and knowingly approved the recruitment of these three individuals despite them lacking the mandatory academic qualifications required for the roles.
The state prosecutor argued that this alleged irregular recruitment process resulted in the government incurring “ineligible costs,” constituting a financial loss. This forms the core of the corruption case against the renowned academic.
The presiding Chief Magistrate, Joan Aciro, read the charges to Prof. Balunywa and subsequently remanded him until [Next Court Date Would Be Inserted Here], when his bail application is expected to be heard. The case file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further review.
The case has drawn significant public attention, highlighting the ongoing efforts by authorities to combat corruption and abuse of office within public institutions.
Prof. Balunywa, a prominent figure in Uganda’s academic and business circles, led MUBS for over a decade before his tenure ended recently.
