Constitutional Court sitting In Kampala Puts Injunction on Busoga University Closure

Busoga University Uganda

The Constitutional Court sitting in Kampala has issued an injunction against the closure of Busoga University based in Iganga District with several branches across the country.

The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) had late last year asked Busoga University to close over alleged involvement in irregularities. NCHE accused the university of awarding degrees to half-baked students and using unqualified staffs to teach students, among other things.

The council canceled the license it had offered the university and degrees for more than 1,000 students alleged to have been acquired irregularly.

The NCHE directed the university to halt all activities, including recruiting students for a period of six months to allow investigations into the matter.

A decision on whether to allow the university re-open or completely close would then be determined by the outcomes of the investigations.

The university management led by the vice chancellor, Prof David Lameka Kibikyo, have since the issuance of the closure notice refused to comply with the directives of NCHE, arguing that the accusations are false and malicious.

Consequently, on January 31, the university through its lawyers of Kwesigwa, Muwema and Walubiri Advocate secured an injunction against the decision of NCHE. The Constitutional Court Judge, Justice Solome Barungi Bossa, who heard the application for an injunction granted it.

Justice Bossa said the interim court injunction issued enables the university to implement all the activities as before.

"The implication of this order is that the university should continue operating normally as there is no notice from NCHE until the main application is heard," the interim order injunction read in part.

The interim ordered clarified that invoking the university's provisional license and halting recruitment of students is stopped.

The university spokesperson, Mr Andrew Balondemu, confirmed the development last Saturday. However, the NCHE spokesperson, Mr Soul Waigolo, said the council is confident that court will act justly.