The recent revelation by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) that 1,129 students of Kyambogo University are enrolled at illegal, unrecognized centres is a scathing indictment of the institution’s corrupt leadership. The brazen disregard for the law, coupled with the university’s shameless defence of its illegal operations, underscores the depths of academic fraud and deceit orchestrated by Kyambogo University’s administration.
NCHE’s findings are unequivocal: centres in Bushenyi, Soroti, Masindi, Butebo, and Bukedea are unauthorized, and the qualifications awarded from these centres are utterly worthless. Yet, Vice Chancellor Prof Eli Katunguka-Rwakishaya arrogantly asserts that NCHE lacks the authority to regulate the establishment of learning centres. This is not only a blatant lie but a reckless endangerment of students’ futures. The Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 (UOTIA) explicitly mandates that any new learning centre must receive prior approval from NCHE—a step Kyambogo University deliberately bypassed.
The repercussions for these 1,129 students are catastrophic. Their academic efforts, time, and financial resources have been reduced to rubble, all because of the university’s insatiable greed and blatant incompetence. The leadership at Kyambogo University has not just flouted the law; it has deliberately orchestrated an elaborate scam, preying on students’ aspirations for higher education and career advancement.
This scandal is not an isolated incident but the culmination of years of gross mismanagement and corruption. The history of these illegal centres dates back to 2018, when the university, amidst internal dissent, unilaterally decided to expand into upcountry regions without the necessary approvals. The staff’s petitions to the Inspectorate of Government were ignored, allowing this academic Ponzi scheme to flourish unchecked.
The NCHE’s directive to immediately shut down these illegal centres is a necessary yet insufficient step. There must be accountability. Prof Katunguka and all those complicit in this disgraceful scheme must face severe consequences. It is not enough to merely close these centres; there needs to be a thorough investigation, and those responsible should be held criminally liable for their actions.
The future of Kyambogo University hangs in the balance. To restore any semblance of credibility, the institution must purge its corrupt leadership and ensure strict adherence to legal and educational standards. This scandal should serve as a wake-up call to other universities operating under similar fraudulent practices. The message is clear: educational fraud will not be tolerated, and the integrity of Uganda’s higher education system must be upheld at all costs.
The 1,129 students whose futures are now in limbo deserve justice. Kyambogo University must compensate these students and provide them with legitimate pathways to complete their education. Anything less would be a grotesque travesty of justice and a continued betrayal of their trust.
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