The Deputy Speaker says the National Council for Higher Education has confirmed the programme’s accreditation for four more years as Parliament prepares to examine concerns over professional recognition and departmental leadership.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has said Mbarara University of Science and Technology’s (MUST) Bachelor of Pharmacy programme remains accredited by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) for the next four years, despite a dispute over its professional recognition by the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU).
Tayebwa made the remarks during Tuesday’s plenary sitting following concerns over the reported withdrawal of professional recognition of the programme by PSU with immediate effect. He said he had received several calls from students and parents seeking clarification on the matter.
He explained that he had contacted NCHE Executive Director Prof. Mary J. N. Okwakol, who confirmed that the programme remained accredited.
“The students are learning and being taught an accredited course,” Tayebwa told Parliament.
He added that NCHE had accredited the programme in consultation with relevant stakeholders, including PSU.
Tayebwa said there appeared to be an overlap in the mandates of PSU and NCHE under the laws governing pharmacy training. He directed the Minister of Education and Sports to present a comprehensive statement to Parliament on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
He also asked the minister to consult the Attorney General and requested the Attorney General’s presence in Parliament to clarify the legal framework governing the matter.
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi said the concerns raised by PSU appeared to extend beyond the programme’s recognition to the qualifications of the person heading MUST’s Department of Pharmacy.
Ssenyonyi said a letter from the professional body questioned whether the department was headed by someone with the qualifications required for the position. He urged the government and relevant authorities to address the concerns promptly to prevent further uncertainty among students and graduates.
“If it is a question of somebody heading a department who requires a particular set of qualifications, I think that should be sorted out so that students are not in disarray,” Ssenyonyi said.
The Minister of State for Education and Sports, Peter Ogwang, pledged that the ministry would present the requested statement to Parliament on Thursday.
Meanwhile, MUST Vice Chancellor Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika, in a letter dated October 20, 2026, to NCHE Executive Director Prof. Okwakol, outlined measures the university is taking to address leadership and staffing concerns in its Department of Pharmacy.
She explained that the issue emerged after the former head of department, an associate professor of pharmacy, resigned in July 2026 to take up a professorial position at another public university in Uganda.
His departure left a leadership gap, with the university lacking a pharmacist at the rank of senior lecturer or above to take over the position.
Consequently, the university appointed a senior lecturer with a background in nursing, public health, pharmacology and clinical trials to serve in an acting capacity for three months.
However, effective October 19, 2026, the university appointed Dr. Jonans Tusimiire as acting head of department for three months. Tusimiire is a senior lecturer, deputy dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and president of PSU.
According to the vice chancellor, the university secured clearance from the Ministry of Public Service on October 14 to recruit or promote academic staff after seeking funding from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
The university’s explanation comes as Parliament prepares to examine the dispute, including the distinction between the programme’s academic accreditation and the professional recognition required for pharmacy graduates to practise.