The handover of Busoga University to the Ministry of Education and Sports under Janet Museveni is nothing short of a political betrayal masked as progress. This supposed transition from a private, church-founded institution to a government-run public university is a calculated move to bolster the Museveni regime’s grip on power in Busoga and beyond. It is a stark reminder of how public interests are often sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.
Janet Museveni’s self-congratulatory speech, peppered with religious undertones, attempts to whitewash the glaring political opportunism at play. Her invocation of biblical references and gratitude to her husband, President Museveni, underscores a disturbing pattern: the blurring of state and family interests. The “donation” of Busoga University’s land by the Church of Uganda reeks of coerced complicity. Was this a genuine gesture of goodwill or a result of the Church being strong-armed into submission by a regime that has mastered the art of control and manipulation?
The entire ceremony at Nakasero State Lodge was a grandiose display of government theatrics. The presence of high-ranking officials, from Rebecca Kadaga to Matia Kasaija, was nothing but a well-orchestrated show to lend legitimacy to this controversial takeover. It is laughable to hear Mrs. Museveni thanking stakeholders for their patience. For years, the National Council for Higher Education neglected Busoga University, revoking its license in 2017 and leaving its students in limbo. How does this sudden transformation into a public university resolve the deep-seated issues of mismanagement and neglect?
Furthermore, the government’s claims of settling liabilities amount to mere tokenism. A debt of Shs. 15.2 billion reduced to Shs. 7.05 billion is hardly a triumph. It’s an indictment of a regime that continues to play with public resources. Why is it that every government intervention involves a trail of unpaid debts, unresolved issues, and unfulfilled promises? This saga highlights the Museveni administration’s incompetence and its disdain for accountability.
Archbishop Stephen Kazimba’s praise for President Museveni’s pledge to take over the university is deeply troubling. The Church of Uganda has surrendered its autonomy and moral authority by aligning itself with a regime notorious for corruption and human rights abuses. Kazimba’s call for the government to expedite compensation for assets and settle liabilities rings hollow. The Church is now a beggar at the table of the state it once served with dignity.
What about the students who have not graduated since 2018? Their futures remain uncertain, yet this glaring failure is conveniently brushed aside. The political elite present at the ceremony, including MPs and local leaders, have failed their constituents by endorsing a handover devoid of transparency and genuine stakeholder engagement. This is not about uplifting the Busoga region; it is about expanding the Museveni dynasty’s patronage network.
The vision of a “public university” as a hub for innovation and community engagement is an empty promise. Under the Museveni regime, public institutions have become synonymous with inefficiency, corruption, and decay. Busoga University is poised to become another casualty of the regime’s insatiable appetite for control. The Church of Uganda’s permanent representation on the University Council, as requested by Archbishop Kazimba, is a feeble attempt to maintain relevance in a project it has already lost.
This entire spectacle is not about education or development. It is a political maneuver aimed at consolidating power, pacifying Busoga, and extending the Museveni regime’s stranglehold on the nation. Busoga University’s handover is a betrayal of its founders’ vision and a testament to the regime’s relentless pursuit of self-interest at the expense of Uganda’s future.
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