Top Makerere Don's PhD questioned

Prof. William Bazeyo, one of the candidates for the Makerere University second deputy vice chancellor (DVC) in charge of finance and administration job, is undoubtedly among the best resource mobilisers in the country.

In the last 13 years, Bazeyo said he has negotiated and mobilised $160m (over sh587b) for more than 20 projects.

For Makerere University alone, he negotiated and won multi-country projects, such as Resilient Africa Network, which supported 150 innovations.

However, Bazeyo's shining curriculum vitae was dented during his public presentation for one of the instituition's coveted jobs recently, when critics challenged the Doctor of Public Health degree he attained from the Atlantic International University, USA in 2014.

One of the participants from the audience questioned Bazeyo's PhD. According to the participant, the Atlantic International University, where Bazeyo attained a PhD, is not accredited by relevant authorities in the US.

"We want to know whether Bazeyo's PhD is a genuine one. If the university is not accredited, the PhD cannot be genuine," he said.

However, the Makerere University Senate Search Committee, through Rita Namisango, the instituition's principal public relations officer, who moderated the sessions, guided that questions like this would not be answered.

When New Vision asked Bazeyo about the issue, he declined to comment, noting that "the process for the DVC job does not permit media interviews with candidates".

The public presentations by the candidates were held at the Makerere University Main Hall.

Monica Birungi of Birungi, Nalunkuma and Company Advocates, representing the complainants, told journalists that: "We have written to Makerere University on the erroneous shortlisting of Prof.

Bazeyo for the position of DVC finance. If they continue, we will proceed to court."

A letter dated July 29, 2020 from the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), addressed to Birungi, Nalunkuma and Company Advocates, signed by Dr Pius Achanga, the acting director quality assurance and accreditation, also confirms that Atlantic International University is not accredited in the US.

"The purpose of this letter is to inform you that awards of Atlantic International University are not recognized by the National Council for Higher Education," Achanga said.

Attempts to get further explanation from NCHE were futile.