The Anti-Corruption Court has ordered the remand of former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Principal, Prof. Waswa Balunywa, to Luzira Prison on charges of abuse of office linked to unlawful staff recruitment.
The 69-year-old educationist appeared before Chief Magistrate Racheal Nakyazze on Tuesday morning, answering allegations that he illegally sanctioned appointments at the institution between February and April 2023.
He was arraigned alongside Ms. Jacqueline Namaganda, the former Acting Human Resource Director at MUBS—now Chief Quality Assurance Officer—who allegedly failed to verify the academic qualifications of the recruits. Namaganda is already out on a Shs4 million cash bail granted last week.
According to the charge sheet, the duo approved the appointments of three individuals—James Arike, Nathan Nuwagira, and Nimrod Kakayi—as Administrative Assistants despite claims that the candidates did not meet the required qualifications.
Prosecutors said the irregularities imposed “ineligible costs on government,” forming the basis of the corruption case.
Court further heard that Prof. Balunywa faces a separate file relating to the irregular hiring of more than 103 academic staff, 17 administrative officers, and 69 support staff—appointments prosecutors insist required clearance from the MUBS Appointments Committee.
Through his lawyers led by Asuman Matovu, Balunywa pleaded not guilty and sought bail, presenting four sureties, among them his brother Muhammad Ngoma (Vice-Chancellor of Kampala International University), Prof. Sudi Nangoli (Managing Director of Uganda Printing and Publishing Association), and his son, Ali Balunywa.
Counsel Matovu argued that his client had “served the country diligently for decades” and was not a flight risk, stressing that he deserved temporary release.
However, State Prosecutor Immaculate Agotoku opposed the application, describing the charges as serious and warning of possible interference with ongoing investigations.
The magistrate set Friday, September 5, as the date to deliver her ruling on bail.
Prof. Balunywa retired in May 2022 after more than 20 years at the helm of MUBS, a period credited with expanding the institution into one of Uganda’s leading centers of business education.
His arraignment comes against the backdrop of broader Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) probes into alleged payroll fraud involving Shs53 billion reportedly paid to “ghost” workers in public institutions.
