This follows the expiration of the former council’s mandate on July 31, 2023. Chaired by Dr Theresa Sengooba, most of the council members have been in office since 2015.
Other members include Prof George William Byarugaba Bazirake, Daniel Musiitwa Ssuubi, Prof Samuel Baker Kucel and Prof Joseph Mugisha. Others are Dr James Asile Droti, Eng Alphonse Candia, Betty Kasimbazi and Dr Martin Patrick Ongol, the UNCST executive secretary.
The governing council is the top-most decision-making organ of the body and oversees the secretariat, provides over direction on UNCST’s strategic matter on top of evaluating and approving senior management decisions.
Guided by the UNCST Act, members of the council are drawn from diverse backgrounds in academia, research, industry and policy.
Early this year, Sengooba applied to Musenero to have their tenure extended but in a July 16 response, Musenero reminded her that in spite the fact that her predecessor, Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, extended their tenure in 2019 until further notice, it has to end on July 31, 2023.
“By this letter, I hereby notify you that the extension of the tenure will lapse on July 31, 2023. The lapsing of the extended tenure will give way for the appointment of the UNCST’s fifth governing council. On behalf of the government of Uganda, I wish to extend the ministry’s great appreciation for your generous and dedicated service to the nation in your capacity,” reads part of the letter.
It remains to be seen who Musenero will appoint but all indications show UNCST is headed for a new governing council.
Established in 1990, UNCST is a semi-autonomous agency mandated to develop and implement policies and strategies for integrating science and technology into the national development policies.
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