By Gorrette Kajumba
www.mknewslink.com
In Fort Portal—-
Mountains of the Moon University is seeking stronger partnerships with government agencies, industries and the surrounding community to address growing student enrolment and infrastructure challenges.
The university leadership made the call during a visit by the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Lady Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala, who encouraged the institution to strengthen accountability and fight corruption.
The Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Professor John Kasenene, said community engagement and partnerships have been instrumental in the university’s growth and sustainability.
Kasenene welcomed the IGG’s visit, saying collaboration between the university and government agencies is essential in achieving its objectives. He called for more engagements to strengthen the relationship between the institution and its partners.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pius Coxwell Achanga, said the university is struggling to accommodate the growing demand for higher education from students across the ten districts it serves.
Achanga revealed that about 6,000 students applied for admission during the current academic year, but only 2,000 were admitted due to limited infrastructure and institutional capacity.
He said the university currently has 315 staff members against an establishment of approximately 523, adding that efforts are underway to recruit more staff and improve service delivery.
Achanga noted that the university is also changing its training approach to equip students with practical skills to solve community problems rather than graduate and remain unemployed.
He called for stronger partnerships with government, industry and the surrounding community to support the institution’s development.
The Vice-Chancellor also raised concerns about complaints regarding staff recruitment, saying some people believe that employment opportunities at the university should be reserved for people from the surrounding region.
During the engagement, Gwaira Gerald, the Director of Research, Education and Advocacy at the Inspectorate of Government, briefed the university leadership on the mandate and achievements of the IGG’s office, including the recovery of public assets and funds.
Gerald revealed that between 2025 and June 2026, the Inspectorate received 3,400 complaints from citizens and institutions and investigated and concluded 2,356 cases.
Of the concluded cases, 922 involved corruption, while 1,011 concerned complaints relating to non-payment, among other matters.
The Director of Anti-Corruption at the Inspectorate of Government, Robert Lugolobi, commended staff at the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) for what he described as good service delivery.
He also praised Mountains of the Moon University for its work, saying such positive practices strengthen collaboration between public institutions.
Lugolobi urged public servants to serve citizens professionally and reject corruption.
The Inspector General of Government, Lady Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala, commended the University for its Work and urged its leadership and staff to remain committed to accountability and the fight against corruption.
She called for collective efforts towards building a corruption-free country.
