KAMPALA, UGANDA – Hon. Betty Ethel Naluyima, the Woman Member of Parliament for Wakiso District, on Monday questioned Mbarara University officials over internal administrative delays that contributed to setbacks in project implementation during the financial year ended 2025.
Naluyima raised the concerns while scrutinising the university officials before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (Central) (PAC Central), where they appeared to respond to audit queries relating to the institution’s financial management and project implementation.
During the proceedings, Naluyima questioned why some of the reported delays had resulted from internal challenges, particularly those involving the Faculty Management Council, rather than external circumstances.
She challenged the university management to explain how it had addressed the internal administrative bottlenecks and what measures had been introduced to ensure that similar delays did not affect future projects.
Naluyima observed that although delays arising from external circumstances could be understandable, internal management challenges required deliberate action from the institution. She further sought clarification on whether the university was still experiencing such delays and how management intended to prevent their recurrence.
In response, a university official explained that project implementation and procurement processes required consultations and coordination among various stakeholders, including faculty staff, university leadership and the University Council.
The official revealed that the University Council meets once every quarter and that matters must first pass through the relevant council committees before reaching the main council, a process identified as one of the causes of the delays.
The official, however, told the committee that management had taken the challenge into consideration when preparing procurement projections, planning contracts and setting implementation timelines.
The university representative added that management was engaging contractors early enough and working to ensure that procurement matters were submitted to the relevant committees in time to avoid further delays.
Naluyima’s intervention highlighted the importance of addressing internal administrative challenges that can affect the timely implementation of university projects, even where the institution has control over the processes involved.
The engagement was part of Parliament’s examination of Mbarara University’s audit queries for the financial year ended 2025.
