General Rwashande Fires Back at Prof. Baryamureeba in Fiery Academic Feud

The ongoing academic feud between Retired Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Rwashande and Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba has taken a dramatic turn after the General hit back at the professor on X (formerly Twitter), mocking his academic credentials and telling him to “leave gigs.”

The spat began when Prof. Baryamureeba, a former Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, publicly questioned the legitimacy of Gen. Rwashande’s First-Class Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy, which he earned from Nkumba University during its 27th Graduation Ceremony last weekend.

In a bold post, Prof. Baryamureeba challenged Rwashande to resit one of his exams, promising to donate UGX 100 million to the General’s campaign if he could score an “A” under a neutral examiner not affiliated with Nkumba University.

But Gen. Rwashande swiftly fired back on his verified X account, @EmmRwashande, with a stinging response:

“A professor in IT from prestigious universities, Norwegian and Bergen, but can’t create even an app? What’s that title (prof) for???

My young brother, invest that money in yourself, leave gigs!!”

The jab was a direct hit at Baryamureeba’s background in Information Technology, questioning his practical output despite his impressive academic résumé.

Gen. Rwashande’s academic success had been widely celebrated by his supporters as a major personal victory — especially after his qualifications were once questioned during the NRM primaries by Hon. Theodore Ssekikubo.

However, Baryamureeba’s challenge has reignited debate about academic credibility and political influence in Uganda’s higher education system.

Many online users have since taken sides, with some defending the General’s hard-earned degree while others support the professor’s call for transparency and merit.

As the social media firestorm grows, Nkumba University has remained silent. Sources within the institution say administrators are closely following the situation but are reluctant to get involved in the public row.

The exchange has sparked mixed reactions across X. Some users praised Rwashande for “standing his ground,” while others felt his remarks were disrespectful toward a senior academic.

One user summed it up best:

“Both men are missing the point. This should be about protecting academic integrity, not trading personal insults.”