On 12th February 2018, the outgoing Acting Director of Internal Audit Directorate-Mr. Benson Barigye handed over office to the newly appointed substantive Director Mr. Walter Yorac Nono. Presided over by the Office of the University Secretary ably represented by Ms. Komugisha Consolate, the handover ceremony took place in the Directorate of Internal Audit and was witnessed by Mr. Ssanyu Lawrence, representing the Acting Director of Human Resource and Mr. Patrick Okonyet, Manager, Internal Audit.

Mr. Barigye thanked the University for granting him the opportunity to lead the Directorate and also thanked the staff for the cooperation and teamwork accorded to him during his tenure. Mr. Barigye was appointed Acting Director Internal Audit on 6th March 2017 when the then Acting Director Mr. Patrick Akonyet was granted sick leave. During his tenure, Mr. Barigye has successfully pushed for an increment of the Directorate’s budget for the financial year 2017/2018.

“The Internal Audit budget had stagnated at UGX75 million for the last 3 financial years. However, after presenting our request for additional funding to the Finance, Planning, Administration and Investment Committee of Council (FPAIC), the Chairperson sanctioned the increase of our funding in the financial year 2017/2018. We thank Management for allocating Internal Audit an extra UGX74million,” Mr. Barigye said.

He has also managed to organise a successful capacity building workshop for annual work plans and a stakeholders’ workshop on pre- audit phase out. He thanked his fellow staff members for the selfless devotion to serve the Directorate and University community.

Mr. Barigye congratulated Mr. Walter Yorac Nono upon his new role and pledged to work harmoniously with him to ensure that the objectives and goals of the Directorate are accomplished. He urged the incoming Director to follow up and ensure that the Directorate is well equipped with qualified staff and modern ICT equipment.

On behalf of the Management and the entire university community, Ms. Komugisha Consolate commended Mr. Barigye for his work in the Directorate of Internal Audit. According to Ms Komugisha, Mr. Barigye will always be remembered for his timely reports to FPAIC and his support to the Office of the Auditor General to ensure that the Annual report is produced on time.

“We have not received any complaints on the delay in reporting. We therefore hope to continue tapping into your expertise and experience to support Mr. Yorac Nono. Since he is new to Makerere, he might need help to understand the technicalities of the University system,” said Ms. Komugisha, as she welcomed the new Director and pledged the University Management’s support.

Mr. Walter Yorac Nono thanked Makerere University and the Directorate of Internal Audit for the warm welcome he received since his appointment on 2nd January 2018. His five year term runs until 1st January 2023.

In his remarks, Mr.  Yorac Nono promised to build a value preposition for Internal Audit that will be based on assurance, insight and objectivity. He expressed readiness to work hand in hand with Management, staff of the Directorate and the University Community to provide insights and recommendations based on analyses and assessments of data and processes.

“With this team, we have capacity for value assurance. I am ready to build a team committed to integrity and accountability, a team ready to provide value to University Council, Management as well as an independent source of objective advice,” he said.

Mr. Walter Yorac Nono is a Professional Certified Public Accountant of Uganda (ICPAU) and a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA-UK). He is also a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA-Uganda/Global) and a member of the Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda (ICGU). He holds a Master of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from Makerere University and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Oxford Brookes University. He served as Head of Internal Audit at the National Council for Higher Education, a position he held from September 2011 to January 2018, prior to that he was the Chief Internal Auditor at Case Hospital, Audit Manager at Evlo & Company Certified Public Accountants and a supervisor at Team & Co. Certified Public Accountants.

He has also taught Accounting, taxation and Auditing at the National College of Business Studies (now Makerere University Business School), Uganda College of Commerce – Tororo and Bishop Barham University College in Kabale.

Article by Public Relations Office