Three candidates vying for the position of vice chancellor for Makerere  University, Uganda’s oldest and largest higher learning institution, have today outlined the strategies they will use to make the troubled institution breathe again once appointed to the post.

Former vice chancellor and presidential candidate Prof Venansius Baryamureeba, current deputy vice chancellor in charge of finance and administration Barnabas Nawangwe and

College of Humanities and Social Sciences (Chuss) principal Edward Kirumira spoke to stakeholders and members of the public at an event held in the University Main Hall.

The professors outlined their strategies and answered questions. Here we publish verbatim the key points each candidate outlined.

PROF EDWARD KIRUMIRA

Experience: I have been trained very well in the college of humanities and social sciences about respect of office.

 Relationship with Govt: I would like to bring back Makerere University to its glory by strengthening its resource so that it can impact other universities as well.

 This is a public university and therefore our responsibility is towards government and not to self. In my term, I would like to pursue an advisory relationship with government & not just asking for money all the time.

Research: I would like to equally pursue grants for research development so that every school will have a flagship program.

On Sexual Harrasment: One of the things the VC is meant to do is team building. It’s a collective effort. We will revitalize the administrative and student committees and work together with guild council to help girls express themselves.

Girl Child: We are making partnerships with NGOs and government firms to enable them accept our female students for internships.

PROF BARNABAS NAWANGWE

Promises to build a five-star hotel to replace the university’s guest house

Experience: I have quite a bit in improving our country. I am among the most celebrated researchers and architects in Africa.

Partnerships: For some reason, donors just tend to like me.

Staff: We have the best staff than anywhere on the continent. We need to motivate and revamp our staff.

Altering Marks: Anybody that is thinking of tampering with our academic records should count their days.

Publications: We need to have every Masters’ and PHD student have a publication like it was in the old days.

Closure of Makerere: Makerere University has not been closed only once and every time it has been closed, it emerges stronger than before.

Salaries: “Incentives have drained us dry. it is a threat. Govt should take over the wage bill & allow the university to breathe”

PROF VENANSIUS BARYAMUREEBA

Experience: I am an eligible candidate because I have been a dean of ICT College in Makerere University. If this was a boxing game, I would have already given them a knock-out.

Why a second term? When you look at the list of Makerere University VCs, two of them came back for a second term, I’m not the first.

Research: We intend to improve the quality of research in the university so that we can have multi-disciplinary sections.

E-learning: We intend to introduce e-learning to ensure increase in numbers of students enrolled from across the world.

Publicity: we can offer honorary degrees to eminent people like Bill Gates and others. These will offer publicity

Retirement of Professors: We need to increase retirement age for associate professors, professors and senior staff to 80 years. The question on what plan is there for old staff, we shall keep them because the older the wiser.

Online Promotions: We do not have to do promotions by looking at hard copy papers. This can be done online and I’m an expert in IT

Exchange Programmes: In my term as VC, I intend to have exchange programs between Ugandan university students and those from foreign countries.