I’m most qualified person for Makerere VC job — Nawangwe

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Makerere University’s vice chancellor (VC), Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, has defended himself against claims that he was promoted to that rank without the requisite academic qualifications.

He said while appearing on one of the local TV stations in Kampala on Sunday (April 13) that he rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Architecture in 2013.

“I have been at Makerere University for 40 years and have risen through the ranks—from assistant lecturer to Professor. All my promotions were done in accordance with the university’s policies and regulations,” he said.

He, therefore, stated that he is the most qualified person for Makerere’s top job.

“I am the most qualified person to hold the office of the vice-chancellor at Makerere University. Of all the universities I know, Makerere has the most transparent method of promoting staff. There is absolutely no way to bribe your way to a promotion,” he said.

He also stated that when the university sought someone to vet his academic papers, they looked across Africa but couldn’t find “a suitable expert” to do so.

“Eventually, they had to go to Europe, where they found someone,” he said.

Nawangwe, who has been the VC since August 2017, argued that he inherited a university that was in “a very chaotic state”.

“There were strikes almost every semester, sometimes over no clear reason, and research output was quite poor. I believe that in my efforts to transform Makerere University, I stepped on many toes—some people may not be pleased with the actions I took to stabilize and restore order at Makerere,” he said.

He noted that activism still exists at Makerere, but nowadays, it is intellectual. “We engage in intelligent debates. I believe Makerere University is now set to become a global leader in research, innovation, and business incubation—just like other major universities around the world,” he said.

The VC also said they have put in place the necessary infrastructure at the university.

“We have modernised our laboratories and continue to upgrade our facilities to support cutting-edge research and innovation. My vision for Makerere University is for it to become a world leader in research and innovation,” he said.

Nawangwe also said Makerere’s ranking within Africa has not changed. “What has dropped is our global ranking. We are now ranked as the most international university in the world because we have many researchers publishing in collaboration with colleagues from other universities,” he said.