Kampala, Uganda | Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) Limited has disputed remarks made by Prof. Mary J. N. Okwakol, the Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), who told Parliament that the institution’s establishment process had stalled over alleged failure to meet accreditation and governance requirements.
Prof. Okwakol made the comments while appearing before Parliament’s Sectoral Committee on Education on April 9, 2026.
However, in a statement issued on Monday, the promoters of Karamoja Peace and Technology University said the project remains active and in compliance with the legal and regulatory framework governing higher education institutions in Uganda.
The university’s promoters said the institution was granted a Letter of Interim Authority by NCHE on April 19, 2024, under the provisions of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act.
They said the letter set out conditions including resource mobilisation, development of infrastructure, and establishment of academic and administrative structures.
KAPATU maintained that it had continued to work towards fulfilling these requirements, adding that progress on key components was ongoing.
According to the promoters, the project has attracted funding support, including government and development partner contributions.
They cited support from Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and international partners, which they say is intended for infrastructure development and related services in the Karamoja sub-region.
They added that construction works were underway, with facilities such as lecture spaces, administrative offices, staff accommodation, a library, and a police post already in place.
The administration block, they said, is also under construction, alongside expansion of land holdings for future development.
The promoters also defended the university’s governance arrangement, noting that it was established by the Catholic dioceses of Kotido and Moroto.
They further cited the appointment of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as Founding Chancellor and Jessica Rose Epel Alupo as Founding Deputy Chancellor, saying the appointments were consistent with the institution’s founding framework.
Karamoja Peace and Technology University called for continued engagement with NCHE and other stakeholders, saying cooperation is critical in advancing higher education development in the Karamoja sub-region.
The institution said it remains committed to completing the accreditation process in line with national requirements.
NCHE had not yet responded to the latest claims by press time.
