Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) recently held a farewell ceremony to celebrate the remarkable career of Mr. Melchior Byaruhanga, who retired after 27 years of dedicated service, with the last six as University Secretary.
The ceremony was a true depiction of Mr. Byaruhanga’s exceptional contributions. Speakers lauded him for his integrity, earning him the reputation as “MUST’s early bird” and “a man of his word.” The Council Chair person Dr. Warren Naamara commended his commitment and diligence, highlighting the university’s clean financial record under his leadership.
“MUST has never been branded with resource mis-allocation,” the Chair remarked. “If that were true, the Public Accounts Committee at Parliament would have already locked him up. Thank you for being honest, Melchoir.”
Dr. Warren, addressing the Council members, said, “ as we welcome the new University Secretary, I urge you to be patience with him or her during the transition”. He emphasized the need for the new leader to be given time to adapt and learn from Mr. Byaruhanga’s high standards.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Celestino Obua, praised Mr. Byaruhanga’s adaptability and decisive leadership in the face of budget cuts from the central government. “Byaruhanga has a clean record,” Prof. Obua emphasized. “Imagine managing money from the central government and grants office and retiring with no financial scandal.”
The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, Assoc. Prof. Charles Tushabomwe Kazooba, expressed his gratitude to Mr. Byaruhanga for his successful career and clean record as a civil servant. “We need to thank God that he has come to the end of his service with such an accomplishment,” Prof. Kazooba said. “Many are locked up, many die, many fall sick, but Melchoir has made it to the end. Congratulations to you, sir!”
The Human Resource Director, Mr. Prinari Behangana, recognized Mr. Byaruhanga for his punctuality and dedication, also acknowledging the unwavering support of his family. He expressed his appreciation to Mrs. Byaruhanga for her role in allowing Mr. Byaruhanga to dedicate himself so fully to MUST.
Each speaker recognized Mrs. Byaruhanga’s significant contribution in making Mr. Byaruhanga such a dedicated leader at MUST.
In his farewell speech, Mr. Byaruhanga attributed all his achievements to God’s grace and teamwork. He expressed heartfelt thanks to the University for the opportunity to serve and provide for his family. He acknowledged the invaluable support of his team, including his deputy, Ms. Irene Ahabwe, his secretaries, Ms. Prossy Ngabirano and Ms. Ruth Namaara, and Mr. Ronald Akampurira and Mr. Edgar Bakesiima. He also offered a special thanks to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Obua, for his support during his battle with cancer. “I was able to get the best doctors thanks to Prof. Obua,” Mr. Byaruhanga said. “I am so indebted to him for this dedication of connecting me to the best medical teams.” Finally, he expressed his deepest gratitude to his family for their love and support throughout his career.
Mbarara University of Science and Technology extends its deepest gratitude to Mr. Melchior Byaruhanga for his exceptional service and wishes him all the best in his well-deserved retirement. We also offer a warm welcome to the new University Secretary and pledge our support as they embark on this crucial leadership role.
