A dispute has emerged at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) over the renewal of the contract of its Internal Auditor, Isa Kibombo Musoke, with the matter now before the High Court in Mbale. Musoke is challenging the university’s decision to treat his three-year contract as having expired on July 31, 2026, arguing that he applied for renewal within the period required by the university’s regulations and that the Rector’s office was already processing his renewal.
It all started when the University Secretary, Hamza Sewankambo, wrote to Musoke on August 7th, informing him that his contract, which had taken effect on August 1, 2023, had expired. The University Secretary said records at his office showed that Musoke had never submitted an application for renewal as required under Section 2.3.1 of the Staff Regulations, 2024. He further argued that Musoke had failed to inform the Rector in writing through the University Secretary of his intention to renew the contract, as required under Sections 2.3.1(a) and 17.4(a) and (b) of the regulations.
he university consequently directed Musoke to stop performing the duties of Internal Auditor in the absence of a valid contract. However, Musoke disputes this position, saying he had formally expressed his intention to renew his contract nearly three months before it expired. In his response to the University Secretary, also dated August 7, Musoke said he submitted a signed request for contract renewal on April 30, 2026, addressed to the Chairman of the University Audit Committee and copied to the Rector.
He said the application was submitted approximately three months before the July 31 expiry date, which, according to him, complied with the requirement in Section 2.3.1(a) that a renewal application be made at least three months before expiry. Musoke also points to an email dated July 15 from the Office of the Rector, through Senior Administrative Officer Zamzam Ahmed, concerning “Contract Renewal”. According to Musoke, the email copied the University Secretary and attached his renewal application.
He further claims that the Rector had indicated that the contract would be renewed and signed. He argues that this correspondence demonstrates that the university was aware of his renewal request and that the application had entered the university’s administrative process before his contract expired. Musoke has also challenged the suggestion that addressing his renewal request to the Chairman of the Audit Committee was procedurally improper. He said the Internal Audit function has a governance structure under which the Internal Auditor functionally reports to the University Council’s Audit Committee while administratively reporting to the Rector.
He therefore says addressing the renewal request to the Audit Committee Chairman, while copying the Rector, was intended to follow the established reporting arrangements and was not an attempt to bypass the University Secretary. The disagreement has since escalated into a court battle. On August 17, 2026, the High Court at Mbale issued an interim order restraining IUIU and Professor Abdul Kaziba Mpaata of Busitema University from discussing or handling issues concerning Musoke’s employment at the university’s 93rd Finance Committee meeting scheduled for that day or at any subsequent meetings until his application for a temporary injunction is heard and determined.
The order was issued by Assistant Registrar Naluyima Rania after Musoke’s application was heard ex parte. The court also directed that those costs be in the cause. The court order does not, at this stage, determine whether Musoke’s contract was validly renewed or whether the university was correct in treating it as expired. It temporarily restricts the respondents from handling the employment issues specified in the order pending further proceedings.
Musoke is asking the university to reconsider the directive requiring him to stop working and to convene an urgent meeting involving the Audit Committee, University Secretary, Rector and himself to examine the documentary evidence and resolve the matter. He maintains that he remains committed to the university and to the discharge of the Internal Auditor’s functions in accordance with its governance framework and professional standards-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
