KAMPALA-Makerere University Appeal Tribunal has issued an order to Makerere University Kampala (MUK) Appointment Board requiring it to fast track the promotion of Dr. Jude Ssempebwa to a teaching Professor on the basis of his teaching experience and Publications as guided by the University Policy.
Prof.Jude Ssempebwa (2ndR) receives an award from Vice chancellor MUK Prof. Nawangwe (R)
This followed an appeal filed by Dr. Sempebwa to Makerere University tribunal in 2020, challenging the actions of the MUK appointment and promotions committee at East African School of Higher Education Studies (EASHESD) and Development under College of Education and External studies (CEES) , which frustrated his promotion to Professor despite of the fact that he was possessing all the required qualifications.
In his appeal, Sempebwa pointed out that at a special meeting of May 4, 2020, the Appointments Board received and discussed the April 30, 2019 letter from the Directorate of Legal Affairs. The Board indicated that the Applicant had attained 6 years of actual teaching experience on August 1, 2018, and it decided to return his application for promotion back to the CEES.
Ssempebwa however contends that the Board did not address itself to his concerns in his July 7, 2018 appeal on the abuse of the promotions system at the CEES in terms of illegal and fraudulent actions.
“The Tribunal finds, and agrees with the Appellant, that the seemingly toxic environment at CEES should have resulted in the Appointments Board handling the matter of the Appellant’s promotion differently rather than referring it back to CEES. While, as the Tribunal has noted, the academic units are central to the Respondent’s appointments and promotions system, the reality is that the academic units at CEE’S had failed to handle the Appellant’s promotion in any fair or proper manner.” Ruled the tribunal chaired by Dr. Henry Onoria on 2nd August 2024
On the assertion by the board that two of Dr. Ssempebwa’s publications were published in January and June 2014 before he became Associate Professor, the tribunal ruled that these were rightly published after the Appellant was promoted to Associate Professor on September 27th 2013. “There is no doubt the two publications cleared by the CEES committee were published in reputable and peer-reviewed journals.”
“The Appointments Board ought to have exercised its statutory authority, as the appointing and promoting body, to have constituted a panel of individuals at the rank of Professor within other academic units to review the Appellant’s application for promotion. This would have enabled an impartial body of like professionals to carry out this review function and make recommendations to the Board on the Appellant’s application on a fair and unbiased basis.” Ruled the tribunal
Having ruled in favor of the Appellant, the tribunal ordered that the promotion of the Appellant to the rank of Professor on the Fast-Track system should be effective from July 26, 2017.
Secondly, Makerere University shall pay the Appellant the difference in salary of associate professor
And full Professor from July 26th 2017 the date his promotion
“The Respondent expedites the execution of the Tribunal’s ruling within six (6) months of this ruling.”
Dr. Ssempebwa was awarded general damages of UGX 120,000,000/= and all parties were ordered to bare their own costs.
The Tribunal Chaired by Dr. Henry Onoria, has Ms Wegosasa Sarah, Ms Rhoda Nalubega , Joseph Kalema and Fred Maniragaba as members.