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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pulled another surprise appointment — naming Prof. Jack H. Pen-Mogi Nyeko, the fiery and often controversial former Gulu University boss, as the new Chancellor of Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST).
Pen-Mogi takes over from Prof. Charles Mark Lwanga Olweny, who has completed two terms (2017–2025) at the helm of the western-based public university.
The appointment, made on October 17, 2025, is for a four-year term effective from the date of assumption of duty.
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The appointment was made under section 30(1) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, acting on the recommendation of the University Council. MUST is a public university located in Mbarara, Uganda, focusing on science, technology, and innovation.
Prof. Pen-Mogi’s appointment as Chancellor is in line with Uganda’s governance structure for universities. The Chancellor plays a significant role in the university’s governance and strategic direction.
WHO IS PEN-MOGI?
Prof. Pen-Mogi is no stranger to the academic corridors — or to controversy. A veterinarian by training and a veteran education administrator, the 77-year-old professor previously served as the founding Vice Chancellor of Gulu University, where his reign ended in acrimony and bitter fallouts.
Born on 12 May 1948 in northern Uganda, Pen-Mogi holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and a PhD from Makerere University, plus a Master’s from the University of Nairobi. His academic field is molecular parasitology, but he’s better known for his bold, sometimes combative leadership style.
The outspoken professor has worn many hats — researcher, lecturer, and politician. He once served as MP for Kilak County, Gulu District, and was part of the 1994 Constituent Assembly that drafted Uganda’s 1995 Constitution.
In 2001, Museveni handpicked him to head the technical team that birthed Gulu University, which later made him its founding Vice Chancellor when it opened in 2002.
WHY THE BUZZ?
While his academic credentials are unquestionable, his management record has often been clouded by accusations of high-handedness and administrative wrangles during his time at Gulu University.
Pen-Mogi, a father of five and Fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences, now returns to the limelight as he takes charge of MUST — a university that has seen its own share of internal power struggles and leadership drama.
His appointment has already triggered mixed reactions in academic circles, with some hailing his experience — and others whispering that “M7 loves his old guards too much.”
