The Anti-Corruption Court has released former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) principal, Prof. Waswa Balunywa, on bail after three nights in Luzira Prison, where he had been remanded over allegations of illegal recruitment and irregular staff appointments.
Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Racheal Nakyazze on Friday ordered the 69-year-old academic to pay Shs 5 million cash bail in one case and Shs 10 million in another.
His sureties were bonded at Shs 50 million non-cash and Shs 100 million non-cash respectively. In addition, his passport remains in court custody, while his land title will be retained as extra security.
Prosecutors had strongly opposed his release, citing the youth of his sureties and the existence of multiple active cases against him.
They argued this increased the risk of non-compliance. But Magistrate Nakyazze ruled otherwise, pointing to the presumption of innocence and Balunywa’s long-standing ties to the country and his sureties.
The charges, sanctioned by outgoing Director of Public Prosecutions Jane Frances Abodo, allege that between 2020 and 2023, Prof. Balunywa unilaterally recruited 103 academic staff, 17 administrative officers, and 69 support staff outside laid-down institutional procedures.
In a separate case, he is accused of hiring three unqualified administrative assistants James Arike, Nathan Nuwagira, and Nimrod Kakayi thereby creating unnecessary financial obligations for the government.
Prof. Balunywa faces the charges alongside former Acting Human Resource Director Jacqueline Namaganda, who is accused of three counts of neglect of duty for failing to vet the recruits’ eligibility. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
A towering figure in Uganda’s academic landscape, Prof. Balunywa retired in May 2023 after a 26-year tenure at MUBS. His leadership was often marked by both praise and controversy.
In 2018, Education Minister Janet Museveni directed his replacement, but President Museveni later reinstated him, hailing his “liberation ideology” and stewardship of the institution.
The case returns to court on October 15 for mention and pre-trial proceedings.