By Francis Kagolo

PROF. Venansius Baryamureeba has surrendered his leadership at Makerere University’s faculty of computing and information technology.

He has been holding the position of dean alongside that of vice-chancellor for over a year.

Baryamureeba will be replaced by Dr. Josephine Nabukenya, who has been heading the information technology department, according to a statement issued on Monday.

Nabukenya, a holder of a PhD in information systems from Radboud University in Netherlands, beat three men to rise to the rank.

She becomes the second woman currently serving as faculty head at Makerere, the other being Agnes Ssekiboobo of the institute of statistics.

“The faculty is at the maturity phase of success of any organisation. It is our role to see that it maintains this position by sustaining quality in all our programmes and services,” she said after wining.

Nabukenya has served the faculty in different capacities since its inception. She is also a reviewer of several conferences, including the International Conference on Computing and ICT Research.

Her selection followed a recent concern by the university’s appointments board over Baryamureeba’s ability to run two offices at the same time.

The board in May noted that since Baryamureeba’s contract as vice-chancellor had been extended for more six months, he ought to surrender the position of faculty dean.

Baryamureeba has been head of the faculty for over 15 years. In October last year, he was selected to act as vice-chancellor for a six-month renewable term, a position he is expected to hold until Parliament amends the Universities and other tertiary Institutions Act of 2001.