MUST, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda, PSU, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Dr Jonans Tusimiire, pharmacy training Uganda
Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) has appointed a pharmacist as acting head of its Department of Pharmacy following the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda’s (PSU) withdrawal of recognition of the university’s Bachelor of Pharmacy programme over staffing and leadership concerns.
In a letter dated October 20, 2026, addressed to the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), MUST said it had appointed Dr Jonans Tusimiire, a senior lecturer and deputy dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, to head the department for three months, effective October 19.
Tusimiire, who is also PSU president, replaces an acting head whose professional background is in nursing, an arrangement that had raised concerns within the pharmaceutical society about leadership of the department.
PSU announced on Monday that it had withdrawn recognition of MUST’s Bachelor of Pharmacy programme with immediate effect, citing inadequate staffing, concerns over departmental leadership and the university’s failure to respond to a notice requiring it to explain why recognition should not be withdrawn.
MUST said the leadership gap emerged in May 2026 when its head of the Department of Pharmacy, an associate professor, resigned to take up a higher position at another public university. The resignation took effect in July.
According to the university, the Academic Registrar called for elections for a new head of department in July, but no pharmacist at the rank of senior lecturer or above was available to take up the position. Management subsequently appointed a senior lecturer with a nursing background to act for three months as it sought a substantive replacement.
The university defended the interim arrangement, saying the appointee had served the department for a long time and had expertise in pharmacology, pharmaco-epidemiology, clinical trials and research methods relevant to pharmacy training.
MUST also said the outgoing head of department provided part-time teaching and administrative support during the transition to ensure continuity as the academic year approached.
The university added that a report from the outgoing acting head showed that all lectures, student attachments, clinical exposure and other planned activities had been covered.
MUST said it had sought funding from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development before obtaining clearance from the Ministry of Public Service to recruit or promote staff. The clearance was granted on October 14, paving the way for recruitment.
“Arising out of the clearance, Management will run adverts over the next few weeks for positions of Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer from which qualifying persons will be identified to take on the responsibility of Head of Department of Pharmacy at MUST,” the letter reads.
PSU said it issued a show-cause notice to MUST on September 10, giving the university 30 days to explain why recognition should not be withdrawn and students transferred to other recognised institutions.
The society said the university failed to respond within the stipulated period, prompting the withdrawal after deliberations at its 61st Emergency Council Meeting.
The decision has implications for students enrolled in the programme. PSU suspended the issuance of Pharmacy Student Numbers, recognition of internship placements and eligibility for new graduates to sit its pre-internship and pre-registration qualifying examinations.
The society also said it would not recognise qualifications obtained from courses taught or assessed during the period of de-recognition.
MUST said it would expedite staff recruitment and promotion to address the leadership and staffing gaps.
However, the university’s letter does not indicate whether PSU has agreed to reinstate recognition following Tusimiire’s appointment.
The appointment addresses the immediate leadership gap, but it remains unclear whether it will be sufficient to resolve the wider staffing concerns that led to the withdrawal of recognition.