NAKAWA – The Principal Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Prof Waswa Balunywa, has threatened to take disciplinary action against the chairperson of the academic staff association, Dr Isaac Magoola, for insulting him and other lecturers opposed to the ongoing strike.
In a July 2 letter, Prof Balunywa said Dr Magoola has been harassing lecturers who have opposed the strike. Among the lecturers is Ms Saunders Warda, who has since reported to police in Nakawa.
“You have allowed staff to attack individuals who appeared to make proposals that some of your members found unfavourable. You have allowed people to ridicule many other people including myself clearly showing loss of control of what you are struggling for,” Prof Balunywa’s letter reads in part.
The School Principal said Dr Magoola has been harassing Dr Isaac Kayongo, Dr David Katamba, Eng Dick Turinawe and Wallya Gwokyala for refusing to participate in the strike.
“It’s against this background that I write and warn you that while you have the right to engage in industrial activities in the interest of your members, you have no right to insult people. The growing rift among staff are attributed to your actions and you have to be held responsible for them. Should this continue I will have no option but to take disciplinary measures against you and those that are involved in insulting people and sowing seeds of disharmony among staff,” Prof Balunywa said.
However, when contacted, Dr Magoola laughed off Prof Balunywa’s letter and accused him of using his position to threaten striking staff who are exercising their constitutional rights.
“He can’t just believe that someone can be this frank to him. I have refused to bow to his intimidation?” Dr Magoola said.
Under their umbrella body, Makerere University Business School Academic Staff Association (MUBASA), the lecturers, who sent on strike at the beginning of June, are demanding about Shs45b that accrued from government’s failure to honour partial salary enhancement and accumulation of unpaid salaries for assistant lecturers. The lecturers have since not marked students’ examination scripts or supervise students on internship.
