President Yoweri Museveni has re-appointed Prof Ezra Suruma as Makerere University chancellor ahead of the 70th graduation ceremony slated for January 2020. The former Finance and Economics Development minister was first appointed Makerere chancellor in 2016.
“I congratulate Professor Ezra Suruma upon his reappointment as chancellor of Makerere University for the 2nd term. I thank President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for reappointing him and I look forward to working with Professor Suruma to raise Makerere even higher,” said Makerere vice chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawawangwe in a tweet on Monday afternoon.
The chancellor is the titular head of the university. He presides at all ceremonial assemblies of the university and in this name, confers degrees and other academic titles and distinctions. The chancellor is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the University Council.
Suruma is a distinguished scholar and statesman with a wealth of experience in the field of finance and banking, spanning more than 25 years. He attained a doctorate degree of economics in 1976 from the University of Connecticut, USA; a masters of Arts in Economics in 1972 and a bachelor of Science in Finance in 1969, both from Fordham University, New York, USA.
He is a senior presidential advisor on Finance and Planning and serves on the board of the National Planning Authority, participates in numerous national and international economic policy discussions and initiates proposals for policy change.
He is also the head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit responsible for the implementation of priority programs of government. He served as the minister of Finance from 2005 to 2009, where he was internationally recognized for his outstanding service when he won the award of Africa’s best minister of the Year 2008.
Suruma is the fifth chancellor of Makerere University after Prof George Mondo Kagonyera (2007-2015), Rt. Hon Apolo Robin Nsibambi (2003-2007), H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (1986-2002), H.E. Idi Amin Dada (1971-1979) and H.E. Apollo Milton Obote (1970-1971, 1981-1985).