Makerere University Ordered to Pay Shs 1.7 Billion to Sister Public Universities

Makerere University is facing intense scrutiny from Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Central Government over withheld application fees. The institution has been officially ordered to clear more than Shs 1.7 billion collected through the Public Universities Joint Admissions Board (PUJAB) system that rightfully belongs to other public institutions.

According to the Auditor General’s report, Makerere collected over Shs 3 billion in application fees but incorrectly recorded the entire sum as its own revenue. An amount totaling Shs 1.711 billion was actually owed to several participating universities over the past decade.

The outstanding money affects multiple institutions across the country. Kyambogo University is owed the largest share at Shs 591 million, followed by Makerere University Business School at Shs 294 million. Other affected campuses include Gulu University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Busitema University, Muni University, Kabale University, Lira University, Soroti University, and Mountains of the Moon University.

PAC Chairperson Patrick Nsamba Oshabe strongly rejected explanations from Makerere officials regarding the delayed transfers. University representatives argued that changes involving the Uganda Revenue Authority and the Consolidated Fund complicated the remittance process. However, Oshabe maintained that Makerere had no right to treat funds belonging to sister institutions as its own internal revenue.

Makerere University Secretary Yusuf Kiranda acknowledged the outstanding debt during the parliamentary session. He assured lawmakers that the institution is committed to reconciling the figures and clearing the balances as cash releases allow. Meanwhile, the committee has instructed the Auditor General to monitor compliance and report back on the progress of the payments. Read the full story on The Observer.