New Bishop Stuart VC vows to fight sex abuse

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Amos Tayebwa

Mbarara

On Thursday, June 20, 2024, Bishop Stewart University, a Christian chartered university in Nbarara, welcomed Professor (Dr.) John Mugisha as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University to assume his responsibilities and experience.

In his address to the congregation, Professor (PhD) Mugisha pledged to lead a university with a distinct Christian character. Mugisha said there are things that must not be mentioned in a Christian community or in a Christian university, including blackmail, sexual immorality (such as sex for marks and money for marks), student harassment and persecution of staff and students. He said these things must be combated and must not be mentioned or rumoured in a university with a distinct Christian character.

“This is a problem that if you look at some universities, these problems are indeed reported in newspapers, and at the Uganda Vice-Chancellors’ Forum conference, we shared experiences and you will see that universities are struggling to fight these vices, it is a big problem and it is very destructive. Imagine grading someone just for money and sex appeal, if we now start grading someone for money or sex appeal, these are also vices and sins. Not only are they harmful to society, but they will also lead you to hell because hell is as real as heaven. Let us stand up together and fight these vices in our universities,” said Professor (PhD) Mugisha.

According to the BSU Senate Chairman, Professor Kenneth Kagame, they have handled cases related to such bad practices skillfully. “As BSU, we recently launched an online tool where all students can answer and ask their lecturers, does he attend classes on time? Is his teaching material okay? Does he ask for money in exchange for marks? Does he ask for sex in exchange for marks? Using this tool, at least one lecturer has been fired and one has been warned. These bad practices do exist but our efforts to minimize them through this tool, which has been popularized, it is an anonymous survey on Google, so the lecturer does not know which student has provided this information,” said Professor Kenneth Kagame, the BSU Senate Chairman.

Professor Mugisha further vowed to lead a student-centric university. Student-centricity is the key to his leadership and management, saying that a university can be lonely but a good university should accompany students in their learning and transformation.

Mugisha also promised to ensure that policies, circulars, pedagogy, all systems and processes make it easy for students to learn, enjoy the campus experience and experience transformation. He also vowed to focus on making the university’s research not only focus on basic research but also on applied and action research.

“I have recently been reading about HIV prevalence and distribution or the epidemiology of HIV and AIDS in Uganda and Mbarara district, which is close to urban Uganda, has the highest prevalence and incidence in the country. Last year alone, Mbarara district had over 1,000 new infections. So, we cannot be a university located here and we don’t do research on this and suggest evidence-based strategies that can change this. So, I like the university because it is a community resource, not an ivory tower. We can do something for our environment,” said Professor (PhD) Mugisha.

Professor John Mugisha has extensive industry experience, having served as Vice-Chancellor of Cavendish University before joining Bishop Stewart University, succeeding Associate Professor Gershim Atukunda, who became Acting Vice-Chancellor following the resignation of the previous Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mauda Kamatenesi.

Bishop Assistant, Sheldon Mwesigwa, called on the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Mugisha, and the entire university community to reinforce Christian values and morals because most of the time, these are forgotten in the development process. He also asked the incoming Vice-Chancellor to address the critical issue of community relations. He should ensure that those who deserve good things get them and those who do not deserve them do not get them.

“In Uganda, there are cases where people in institutions who do not deserve things get them and those who deserve them do not. Such a society cannot survive, it cannot function. So avoid such a toxic environment. As a vice-chancellor, you are like a parent, you need to shepherd these people spiritually and give advice. I call on you to fight corruption, especially the love of money, both within and outside the university,” Bishop Sheldon said.