MUST Begins Pharmacy Recruitment Amid Leadership Dispute and Accreditation Debate

Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) has officially initiated recruitment processes to resolve ongoing staffing shortages within its Department of Pharmacy. According to Vice-Chancellor Professor Pauline Byakika-Kibwika, the department faced a critical leadership gap after its former head, Associate Professor Patrick Ogwang, transferred to Soroti University in May.

Under regulatory guidelines, a department head must be a pharmacist at the rank of senior lecturer or higher. Because Professor Ogwang’s departure left the department without a qualified senior pharmacist for the role, the university temporarily appointed a senior lecturer from a nursing background with pharmacology experience. This arrangement prompted the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) to withdraw recognition of the Bachelor of Pharmacy program, citing leadership and staffing concerns.

The decision triggered a wider regulatory dispute. While PSU announced restrictions impacting students and graduates, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) rejected the move, affirming that MUST’s pharmacy program remains fully accredited through 2036. Parliament also intervened, directing the Ministry of Education to clarify the legal mandates of both regulatory bodies.

Addressing the recruitment delay, Professor Byakika-Kibwika explained that the university initially lacked the required financial clearance from the government. However, following approval from the Ministry of Finance and Public Service on October 14, recruitment has officially begun to fill senior positions. Despite this breakthrough, the vice-chancellor noted that broader institutional staffing remains constrained, with the university operating at only 36 percent of its required capacity due to budget limitations.

Read more about the recruitment update on Nile Post.