Former MUBS Principal Prof Balunywa Remanded Again After Brief Bail Release

KAMPALA – The Anti-Corruption Court has once again remanded former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Principal Prof. Waswa Balunywa to Luzira Prison, just hours after granting him bail in a separate case.

On Friday, September 5, Chief Magistrate Racheal Nakyazze released Balunywa on a cash bail of Shs10 million in a case where he is accused of illegally recruiting more than 100 staff at the institution. The prosecution alleges that between 2020 and 2023, Balunywa irregularly appointed 103 academic staff, 17 administrative staff, and 69 support staff at MUBS, an act that by law falls under the mandate of the Appointments Committee.

However, his freedom was short-lived. Later the same day, Balunywa was remanded over a second case in which he is accused of illegally recruiting three administrative assistants — James Arike, Nathan Nuwagira, and Nimrod Kakayi — despite their alleged lack of academic qualifications for the positions. Prosecutors say this created ineligible costs for the government.

The offences were allegedly committed between March 15, 2023, and April 13, 2023. Balunywa will return to court on September 15 for further hearing of the case.

He is jointly charged with Jacqueline Namaganda, 47, the former acting human resource director at MUBS and current chief quality assurance officer. She faces a count of neglect of duty under section 101 of the Anti-Corruption Act. Namaganda was earlier released on a Shs4 million cash bail with non-cash sureties worth Shs50 million.

Balunywa, 67, who led MUBS for more than two decades before stepping down in 2022, denies any wrongdoing. His supporters claim the charges are politically motivated, while prosecutors insist they expose deep-rooted governance flaws in public institutions.

The fresh remand underscores Uganda’s heightened scrutiny of top officials accused of corruption and abuse of office, as the government continues to brand graft a key obstacle to service delivery.