Makerere Institute of Social Research e director Prof Mahmood Mamdani (R) accuses the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu (L), of being part of a larger group “running a web of intrigue” that wants to eject him from the institution
By Ivan Okuda & Lillian Namagembe
Posted
Wednesday, April 20
2016 at
11:02
In Summary
Stand off. He says the VC has hatched a scheme to throw him out and get a director who will dance to his tunes.
Kampala. The row at Makerere Institute of Social Research has deepened with the director Prof Mahmood Mamdani accusing the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu, of being part of a larger group “running a web of intrigue” that wants to eject him from the institution using Dr Stella Nyanzi as a stunt.
In an interview at his office yesterday, Prof Mamdani said Dr Nyanzi who stripped before cameras on Monday, following the closure of her office, has been earning salary and utilising office space for private work. He claimed Dr Nyanzi had become untouchable given her familial links with the VC.
“I have told the Appointments Board that she must leave… [because of] what she did on Monday and this morning (Tuesday) insulting the director and staff she associates with me,” Mamdani said.
He insisted Ms Nyanzi has never done any institutional research at MISR; she doesn’t meet students and that she has been using her office for private gain.
Dr Nyanzi did not respond to a request from this newspaper for an interview yesterday. However, she took to her Facebook page to appreciate her fans for the show of solidarity.
The don described her naked protest as “a theatre performance” that saw her invite the media, two students carrying placards and the prompt appearance of VC at the scene.
Prof Mamdani said the VC has worked to dismantle the programme with the intent of turning MISR into a consultancy institute. This, he said, is the heart of the matter that has seen his stay at the university hang in balance. He claimed the VC has hatched a scheme to throw him out and get a director who will dance to his tunes.
In March the university advertised the MISR director job, putting an age cap of 55 years and tailoring the job description to a consultancy unit. Mamdani protested the age limit arguing, “scholars are not athletes. People become scholars over time.” In fact, he said, the scholars such as Dr Kisekka Ntale and Dr Fredrick Goloba Mutebi whom Ms Nyanzi used to illustrate as the cause of staff turnover left the university after the institute mutated from a consultancy to research unit.
“I came to MISR in 2011, I hired her. In 2012 we introduced the PhD programme, it was passed by Senate, University Council and National Council of Higher Education. It was a government policy. I informed all the academic staff they would teach 50% of the time and 50% research, Nyanzi refused.”
Mamdani said he seconded Dr Nyanzi’s confirmation into university service on condition that she would commit to teaching. The following year she applied for a fellowship at the University of Cape Town which demanded support from the director and the VC. His support for her application was premised commitment to teach.
On her return, she reneged on this position, asserting her contractual engagement with the university was in tune with research and introducing teaching would be out of scope of the contract.
“The contract states that she must take responsibilities from the director. Policies change, MISR was turned into a research unit that trains researchers but she doesn’t even do any institutional research at MISR. She does private work,” Mamdani explained.
He reportedly raised these issues with the university’s appointments board in 2014 but there is no response while the Deputy Vice Chancellor whose indulgence he sought reminded him he had powers to rein in her.
Untouchable
“Everyone is scared to touch her because she is the VC’s niece! That is the source of her impunity, the confidence that no one can touch her,” Mamdani charged.
Dr Dumba on Monday named a committee to inquire into the matter. Prof Mamdani has, however, since rejected the committee saying the VC is an interested party.
“The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University has set up a Committee that will report to him. The Vice Chancellor lacks the moral authority and objectivity to set up and provide oversight for such a committee. He is partisan and has a clear conflict of interest due to his close family relationship with Dr Stella Nyanzi,” Prof Mamdani wrote.
In reaction, Prof Ddumba said yesterday, “I am not the one chairing the committee. And I do not need to consult him (Mamdani). It’s true Dr Nyanzi is my relative and but it’s also true there are some problems at the institute. I am acting as a professional and not taking any side,” Dr Ddumba said.
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