Published on 15/09/2025
Parliament has expressed concern over the chronic staffing shortages at Kyambogo University, which have left the institution operating at just 32% staffing levels and forced it to rely heavily on part-time lecturers.
The shortage has also fueled the University’s debt, which ballooned to UGX 23.29 billion by June 2024.
The concerns were raised by Gorreth Namugga, Vice Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), while presenting the Committee’s report on the Auditor General’s December 2024 findings on public universities and tertiary institutions during the September 9, 2025, plenary sitting.
Namugga warned that the acute understaffing compromises teaching quality, overstretches lecturers, and undermines the University’s mandate. She noted that delays in reviewing the established staff structure had worsened the situation and faulted the Ministry of Education’s inspectorate for failing to detect the gaps early.
Auditor General’s Findings
The Auditor General, Edward Akol, reported wide disparities between Kyambogo’s approved establishment and actual staffing across all 104 departments, leaving 1,653 positions unfilled. Teaching staff were the hardest hit, with only 32% of posts occupied. Some roles, such as teaching assistants and principal technicians, had no permanent staff at all.
The staffing crisis has forced the University to depend on part-time and temporary workers, which has driven up arrears. By June 2024, the University’s domestic debt had risen from an opening balance of UGX 19.95bn, despite paying out UGX 9.8bn during the year. New arrears of UGX 13.14bn pushed the closing balance to UGX 23.29bn.
University Response
Management admitted that staffing stood at only 32% due to inadequate wage provisions. The University has lobbied government for additional wage funding, which raised its wage bill from UGX 61.17bn to UGX 67.17bn in FY 2024/25, allowing recruitment of up to 3,570 staff. However, this still falls short of the required numbers.
Kyambogo further revealed that its staff establishment is due for review to address gaps and emerging needs, with the process scheduled for the third and fourth quarters of FY 2025/26.
Parliament has directed the University to fast-track the review and urged the Ministry of Finance to provide an adequate wage bill to implement the revised structure. Lawmakers also tasked the Ministry of Education and Sports to strengthen supervision and monitoring of university activities.
Namugga, who also represents Mawogola South, stressed that the continuous creation of arrears reflects weak fiscal management, poor internal controls, and inefficiency. She warned that the growing debt jeopardizes budget credibility and exposes the University to potential litigation.
The Auditor General also highlighted the dilapidated state of student residences and other infrastructure at Kyambogo. Halls of residence were found with broken or missing toilets, leaking plumbing systems, cracked walls, and damaged roofs. The West-End main building has been condemned and out of use for over five years due to safety risks.
In response, the University administration said it had prepared Bills of Quantities worth UGX 9.2bn in April 2022, following a presidential directive on renovations, and submitted them to the Ministry of Finance. However, no funding has yet been released. The main hall is listed among infrastructure projects approved by the Development Committee of the Ministry of Finance, but the University is still waiting for budgetary allocation.
Namugga warned that inadequate accommodation undermines students’ welfare and motivation while posing health and safety risks. PAC recommended that the University prioritize renovations and called on the government to release funds to implement the President’s directive.
