Prof. Pauline Byakika Kibwika, a Professor of Internal Medicine and Epidemiology, at Makerere University’s College of Health Sciences, has emerged as the new Vice Chancellor of Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST).

Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika beat four other candidates to emerge as the top candidate after presentations held at the University on August 01st.

The other candidates were Dr. Amos G. Agaba, a Professor of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at MUST; Dr. Joel Bazira, an Associate Professor of Microbiology at MUST;  Dr. Lynette Kyokunda, an Associate Professor of Anatomical Pathology at the University of Botswana and Dr. Juliet Mwanga Amumpaire, an Associate Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at the Epicentre Mbarara Research Centre.

The search committee of five judges was chaired by Prof. Philippa Musoke and included  Eng. Dr. Dorothy Okello (Senate representative), Dr. Stevens Kisaka (Council representative), Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo (Council member), Dr. Nabaasa Evarist (Senate member), and Dr. Martha Kyoshaba Twinamasiko as the Committee Secretary.

“The University Council has already approved and forwarded her name to the Chancellor for final approval,” a source at the University told CEO East Africa Magazine.

If she is approved, Prof. Pauline Byakika Kibwika (MBChB, MSc CEB, M. Med, PhD) will succeed Prof. Celestino Obua and will be the University’s first female Vice-Chancellor in the institution’s 35-year history. 

She is a Ugandan specialist physician, internist, epidemiologist, academic and researcher and has been the Head of the Medicine Department at Makerere University’s College of Health Sciences. 

On her LinkedIn page, she describes herself as an  “experienced Professor of Medicine with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry”.

Her key skills include Clinical Research focusing on Clinical Trials, Medical Education, Epidemiology, Data Analysis, and Clinical Care. 

She graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and proceeded to get an MSc in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the same university.  She also holds a Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine from Makerere University and a PhD in Medicine from the Trinity College, of the University of Dublin, Ireland.