TORORO – Prof. Paul Waako has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor for Busitema University, replacing Prof Mary Okwakol, whose term of office ends on April 31, 2019.
Prof Okwakol has been the Vice-Chancellor since 2006.
The university public relations officer, Ms. Peace Balala, said Prof. Waako was recommended by the University Council that sat on February 21, 2019.
“The appointment of Prof Waako as the Vice Chancellor of Busitema University was a recommendation of the University council basing on the Universities and Tertiary institutions Act 200,” she said in an interview.
Ms. Balala said the Prof Waako will be officially installed as the new vice chancellor on May 1, 2019.
She said the university council considered Prof. Waako because of his outstanding competence and performance in the institution.
“He ranked as the suitable candidate against the other candidates for the position,” she said.
The other candidates included Dr. Samuel Baker Kucel, the deputy vice Chancellor of Busitema University in charge academics and research, and Prof Fabian Nabugomu, the acting deputy Chancellor in charge Finance and administration of Kyambogo University.
Prof. Waako, when contacted, confirmed receiving the appointment letter.
“I am not surprised that the University Council and the Senate found me fitting for the job and I am sure they could have considered my hard work, ” he said.
He applauded the outgoing Vice Chancellor for pushing the University from scratch to its current position where it’s now ranked among the best universities promoting innovation in the country.
Who is Prof Paul Waako?
He was born on the 20th February 1967 at Mukuta, Mayuge district and he holds a PhD in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of Cape Town South Africa, an MSc [Pharmacology] and MBChB Degree from Makerere University.
He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from Uganda Management Institute.
He chaired the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Makerere University for ten years before becoming the founder Dean Busitema University Faculty of Health Sciences.
He has attended short courses and managed a number of International collaborative research projects mostly focusing on strengthening Pharmaceutical systems.
He is a member of many expert committees; National and International. He has published extensively in the areas of traditional medicines, drug discovery, and development, rational use of medicines and medicine supply systems.
He is a Senior Research Fellow at Queen Mary University London and Fellow of Uganda National Academy of Sciences, among others etc.
