The Makerere University Council yesterday recommended that former Finance minister Ezra Suruma be appointed the institution’s next chancellor after he beat three other contenders to the position.
This follows recommendation by the search committee instituted in August to find the successor of Prof Mondo Kagonyera, whose second four-year term expires tomorrow.
According to sources privy to the council’s proceedings, Dr Suruma topped the list of the contenders with 83 per cent, followed by the former executive director National Council for Higher Education, Prof AB Kasozi, with 70 per cent, former Uganda Martyr’s University vice chancellor Charles Olweny and former Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki. The names had been submitted by the public.
Mr Bruce Balaba, the search committee chairperson, yesterday confirmed that their proposals had been adopted by the council but declined to give details, referring this newspaper to Mr Charles Wana-Etyem, the University Council chairman.
“It is true we presented our report today (yesterday) to council. We recommended two names. Council has adopted the report and recommended the candidate to the visitor who is the President. The chairman should give you the details,” Mr Balaba said yesterday in an interview.
However, Mr Wana-Etyem yesterday said although they had finalised the process of finding the next chancellor, it was premature to name the candidate before the appointing authority assents to their proposal.
“We have finalised the process but we are not the people to make the appointment. At an appropriate time, we will tell you. Prof Kagonyera’s term expires on October 23. Unfortunately, I cannot give you the name of the person we have recommended,” the council chairperson told Daily Monitor yesterday.
Dr Suruma’s name will now be submitted to the President for appointment.
According to the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001 a chancellor for each public university shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the University Council.
The chancellor shall be the titular head of the university and will preside over all ceremonial assemblies of the university, confer degrees and other academic titles of the university. The position does not attract any monthly salary other than facilitation while on official duties.
WHO IS SURUMA
Born in Kabale District in 1945, Ezra Suruma holds the degree of Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Finance, from Fordham University, in New York City, obtained in 1969. He also holds degree of Master of Arts (MA) in Economics obtained in 1972, also from Fordham University and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Economics obtained in 1976, from the University of Connecticut. He also has a master's degree in Computer Science and one in International Banking.
Prior to his government and private sector work, Dr. Suruma worked as a Professor of Economics & Management at Makerere University and at Florida A&M University. In 1987, he joined the Bank of Uganda, the country's Central Bank, as the Director of Research, serving in that capacity until 1990. From 1990 until 1993, he served as the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda. In 1993 he left the Bank of Uganda and joined Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB) as the Chairman and Managing Director, serving in that capacity until 1996.
In 2005, he was appointed Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. He served in that capacity until 16 February 2009, when he was appointed Senior Presidential Adviser on Finance & Economic Planning. The international banking magazine, "The Banker," chose Dr. Suruma to receive the "Best Finance Minister of Africa Award," for 2008. During his time as Minister of Finance he was a strong promoter of Uganda's banking industry and was instrumental in the planning and initiation of Uganda's Micro Finance project which helps small farmers and businesses obtain low interest loans. While a cabinet minister, he served as an Ex-officio Member of Parliament, on account of his cabinet appointment
Story was first published on Monitor.co.ug
