Former MUBS Principal Balunywa remanded to Luzira over abuse of office

Former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Principal, Professor Wasswa Balunywa, has been remanded to Luzira Prison on allegations of abuse of office.

On Tuesday, Balunywa appeared before Chief Magistrate Rachael Nakyazze at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala to answer charges in two separate cases. He denied all the charges.

In the first case, prosecutors allege that between March 18 and 28, 2023, Balunywa irregularly recruited three individuals—Arike James, Nimrod Kakayi, and Nathan Niwagira—as Administrative Assistants, despite their lack of the required academic qualifications. The alleged appointments reportedly caused unnecessary costs to the government. Jacqueline Namaganda, the Acting Human Resource Director at MUBS, was jointly charged and granted a cash bail of four million shillings last week.

The second case accuses Balunywa of overstepping his mandate by appointing 103 academic staff, 17 administrative staff, and 69 support staff between 2020 and 2023—decisions that, by law, fall under the jurisdiction of the university’s Appointments Committee.

State prosecutor Caroline Nabaasa informed court that investigations were complete and requested time for disclosure ahead of trial. Balunywa’s lawyers, Shamim Nalule and Asuman Matovu, applied for bail, asking the court to accept sureties presented in the first case for both files. However, the magistrate directed that fresh sureties be provided.

Those who offered themselves as sureties included Balunywa’s brother, Dr. Muhammed Ngoma, Vice Chancellor of Kampala International University; his son, Ali Balunywa, Sales Director at Airtel Uganda; Professor Sudi Nangoli, Managing Director of Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation; and his sister, Hajjati Ndifuna Zawudi, Director of Mbogo Schools. His lawyers also submitted his passport and a land title in Bukoyo, Iganga District, as additional security.

The prosecution objected to bail, raising concerns about whether the sureties could guarantee Balunywa’s attendance. They noted that he only appeared in court after a criminal summons and had previously been unreachable by phone.

Balunywa will return to court on September 5, 2025, when the magistrate is expected to rule on his bail application and proceed with the hearing of the second case.

He and Namaganda are among 30 individuals accused of causing the government a loss of Shs53 billion across various state institutions, including the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and the Uganda Police Force. At least 15 of the suspects have already been arraigned.