Officials from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) failed to convince MPs about gaps in procurement and staffing at the university, the chair of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) has said.
Patrick Nsamba Oshabe, the Kassanda North MP, spoke to journalists after the committee met university officials at Parliament.
“It is against the law to mislead the committee, so do not go down that lane trying to convince us,” he said.
Nsamba said the university had used supplementary funding for its own benefit, which he said was against the law. He asked for a list of the supplementary funds and the reasons for them.
He was also surprised that the deputy academic registrar could not immediately prove the number of PhD students.
Fred Baseke, the Ntenjeru South MP, asked about delayed procurements under review. He also asked the university to give the status of procurements that were not carried out in the financial year.
Betty Ethel Naluyima, the Wakiso woman MP, asked the university to improve gender balance.
She also asked whether it was already on the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) payment system, and how officials had sorted out internal delays.
Benjamin Cadet, the Bunyaruguru MP, asked why research output fell when student admissions had risen.
Moses Kayima, the Ruhama East MP, asked whether the university had sought a write-up when it received money from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Dr Tumusiime Bamuturaki, the Kashari South MP, asked how the ministry could release funds without one.
Isaac Mudoi, the Bulambuli district MP for Lutsetse, questioned why officials were so poorly prepared when the government had given the university a lot of funds.
Members also disagreed on what to do next. Anthony Tumwesigye, the Isingiro South MP, asked the committee to keep the query open instead of sending the university to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak County MP, said the issue went beyond keeping the query open because taxpayers’ money was being misused. He also urged officials to leave room for learning, saying that having qualifications and doing the job were different things.
Ferigo Kampare, the Kasese Municipality MP, questioned the lack of adjustments in the university’s financial statements and the validity of its service providers.
Responding, the university secretary, Vincent Kwatampora Kansiime, said the university needed Shs1.5bn from the supplementary request to build the faculty of science and an administration block.
He said the university runs procurements both through the Government of Uganda and off-budget.
He explained that the university sought the supplementary funds because it was already committed to other activities. He said the release was meant mainly for development projects.
On staffing, Kansiime said the university had received an extra Shs3bn for wages and had recruited 30 new academic staff in the 2025/26 financial year. He said staffing stood at 33% and that 603 professionals were on the payroll.
Nsamba asked the university to list its challenges and undelivered activities, including staffing gaps. He said it would be shameful for a science university to operate without enough academic staff.
Dickson Kalungi, the deputy academic registrar, said the university had 126 PhD students and that the number was rising.
