Mbarara University Resolves Pharmacy Degree Impasse, Appoints New Head

Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) has moved to resolve the regulatory failures that previously led the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU) to de-recognise its Bachelor of Pharmacy degree programme.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (Central), MUST Secretary Vincent Kansiime Kwatampora announced that the institution has appointed Jonan Asimire as the caretaker Head of the Department of Pharmacy. This appointment replaces the non-pharmacist nurse whose interim positioning triggered the recent academic crisis.

The standoff began on 10 September 2026, when the PSU issued a 30-day notice highlighting severe shortcomings. The council noted that MUST failed to advertise the vacancy left by the resignation of former head Prof. Patrick Ogwang and suffered from a critical shortage of qualified pharmacy instructors. When the deadline passed without compliance, the PSU revoked the programme’s recognition, halting internship placements and blocking graduates from taking qualifying exams.

Kwatampora assured lawmakers that corrective measures are underway, noting that two new pharmacists have been recruited and additional hiring calls are out. An upcoming meeting with the PSU is expected to lift the sanctions.

Despite the positive update, PAC Chairperson Hon. Patrick Oshabe and other MPs raised serious concerns regarding MUST’s broader staffing crisis. Lawmakers highlighted a low overall staffing level of 30 percent, as revealed by the Auditor General’s report ending December 2025, questioning the capacity to supervise postgraduate research effectively at a specialised medical institution.

Read more details on the Parliament of Uganda.