The embattled research fellow from the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR), Dr Stella Nyanzi, has fired back at the university’s appointments board, insisting that she is not interested in working at Makerere university again.
Her furious outburst came after a report instituted by Makerere’s appointments board found that Dr Nyanzi was guilty of misconduct and should face a disciplinary committee.
A five-member committee called by the appointments board had been tasked to explain the misunderstanding between Dr Nyanzi and the MISR director, Prof Mahmood Mamdani.
That committee was comprised of Hajjati Sharifah Buzeki, (chairperson), Dr Sarah Ssali (member), Prof Sarah Kiguli (member), Jude Mbabaali (member) and Godwin Okiror (secretariat).
That committee found that, “Dr Nyanzi was erroneously issued an appointment letter on permanent employment terms as a research fellow, which is a contractual job. The subsequent confirmation in her appointment was also erroneous.”
The committee also found that Prof Mamdani’s insistence that she teach a PhD class “was proper and in line with Dr Nyanzi’s terms of employment.”
The five-member committee also concluded that Dr Nyanzi’s decision to strip naked on April 18, 2016 contravened the university’s policies and proper code of conduct, and calls for punitive action against her.
Appointments board head Bruce Kabaasa said there would be no punitive action against Prof Mamdani, adding that his contract had been extended so as to enable the university get a suitable replacement when he goes away.
However, when Dr Nyanzi learnt of the findings, she quickly brushed off the report and insisted she would rather leave Makerere.
“I refuse to return to a violently-oppressive workplace where I will continue under Mahmood Mamdani’s misogynistic reign of terror,” Nyanzi told The Observer in a Facebook message, adding that she would not apologise for her protesting against ‘oppressive rules’.
She also complained that despite her concerns, the university management had mishandled the problems between her and Prof Mamdani. For his part, Prof Mamdani declined to comment on the matter until it is concluded.
OTHERS TO BLAME TOO
Apart from Dr Nyanzi, the university’s vice chancellor (VC), Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu and the human resource director, Mary Tizikara, were faulted for being negligent of their duties. The committee called for the duo to face disciplinary action.
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