Barya vows to retain MUK VC job

By Francis Kagolo        
                
As Makerere University started seeking applications for a substantive vice chancellor (VC) Tuesday, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba vowed to retain the job regardless of the current allegations of fraud against him.

Baryamureeba, who has been acting VC for about three years, denied stealing any money from the now infamous sh17b Dutch-funded project, saying the “false” accusations were hatched by a clique that wants to bring him down.

Baryamureeba is being investigated over allegations that he mismanaged the Nuffic scholarship scheme for PhD students, which was meant to benefit academic staff from the five public universities.

This followed revelations that a March 4, 2008, Computing and Information Technology Appointments and Promotions Committee meeting chaired by Prof. Baryamureeba as the then faculty's dean, waived tuition fees for the 20 PhD beneficiaries yet Nuffic had disbursed €160,000 (sh512m) for the same purpose.

“I have been quiet while they accused me of abuse of office, stealing money from the Nuffic project and awarding contracts to my company (ICT Consults). All these claims are false,” the visibly calm Baryamureeba told a press conference at his office Tuesday.