Makerere bosses wrangle over reinstatement of sacked don

Makerere University secretary has accused the Vice Chancellor, Prof John Ddumba Ssentamu, of abuse of office by disobeying a court order and a decision of the University Council.
On March 31, the chairperson of the University Council, Dr Charles Wana-Etyem, wrote to Prof Ddumba asking him to comply with the April 28, 2010 High Court order to reinstate suspended lecturer Dr Wasswa Matovu.

The order also stopped Prof Ddumba from taking further disciplinary action against Dr Matovu until the latter’s appeal in court had been concluded.
The university had suspended Dr Matovu for alleged misconduct and removed lectures from him and stopped payment of his wages.

However, on May 8, the university secretary, Mr David Kahundha, wrote to the vice chancellor accusing him of refusing to reinstate Dr Matovu as directed by court and attempting to improperly change the University Council decision on the matter.

“Trying to use your office and the offices of the university secretary and senior legal officer to have Council position varied would not only be unfair, illegal but also create conflict of interest and abuse of office since it is not what the Council decided,” Mr Kahundha said.
Prof Ddumba is out of the country and could not be reached yesterday as his known mobile telephone number was off.

Upon suspension from office, Dr Matovu petitioned court challenging the university’s decision. Court issued a temporary order for reinstatement but Prof Ddumba has never allowed him back in office to-date.

On February 19 and 20, the University Council discussed the court order on Dr Matovu’s suspension and forwarded it to the Solicitor General (SG) for interpretation. The SG advised the University Council that Mr Matovu be reinstated with his entitlements and duties.

Instead, Prof Ddumba went back to the SG to seek another legal advice on the interpretation of the court order. Mr Kahundha warned Prof Ddumba that his continued defiance of the court order would condemn the university to unnecessary compensation to the complainant.

In his petition, Dr Matovu contends he risks losing his job because the university rules say a lecturer who is not offered a timetable shall be deemed redundant or jobless. He says what the university administration is doing to him amounts to punishment, which the court order had sought to cure.