Yusuf Kiranda, the Secretary of Makerere University, has strongly objected to the government’s decision to implement a budget cut of Shs25.9 billion on the university’s budget.
Kiranda expressed concerns that this decision could significantly impact the quality of services the institution will be able to offer in the upcoming academic year, 2024/25.
Speaking before Members of Parliament (MPs) on Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, Kiranda appealed to MPs to intervene and ensure that the budget cut decision is reversed. He emphasized that many of the items affected by the budget reduction are essential for students, including services directly consumed by them.
Kiranda highlighted that the reduced budget includes funding for crucial student-related services such as graduation ceremonies, internships, and industrial training. He warned that if these cuts are not addressed, it would compromise the value students receive for the fees they pay. Additionally, Kiranda pointed out that the budget cuts also affect other vital university activities, including utility bills and internet services.
“But it is also affecting other activities including utility bills like water, electricity and internet. Unless these budget cuts are addressed, and reversed, we can no longer guarantee high quality training for which Makerere University is known for,” he said
Expressing concern over the potential consequences, Kiranda cautioned that if the budget cuts are not reversed, subsequent audits may report underperformance on the university’s part due to the significant reduction in its budget allocation.
He noted that Makerere University appears to be uniquely affected, stating, “I am not aware of any other public University that has suffered budget cuts as Makerere University.”
In the 2023/24 fiscal year, Makerere University was allocated a budget of Shs372.186 billion. However, for the upcoming 2024/25 fiscal year, the university’s budget is expected to decrease to Shs353.99 billion. This budget allocation includes Shs208.970 billion for wages, Shs129.642 billion for non-wage expenses, and Shs15.372 billion for development projects.
The PAC Committee was meeting them for discussions on the December 2023 Auditor General’s report on Makerere University.
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