Makerere wants MISR PhD Programme reviewed, Nyanzi summoned

KAMPALA: Makerere University appointments board has recommended that the Management of the PhD program at Makerere Institute of Social Research Institute (MISR) be supervised by the University to address the grievances at the research institute.

The recommendations were made basing on the final report prepared by the four member committee that was set up in April to carry out an In-Depth Investigation into the Issues at MISR.
Mr Bruce Kabaasa, Chairperson Makerere University Appointments Board said “The review will take into consideration among others, the creation of a post of Deputy Director to ease delegation, transfer of knowledge and management of transition.”

He was on Tuesday speaking at a press conference called to update the public on the University’s decision to review the management of the PhD programme at MISR.
If approved, Mr Kabasa said, the University will explore alternative financing for the PhD programme in the event of decreased Donor funding and also protect the PhD programme like any other University program.
The board, he said, also maintained MISR’s policy for fellows to devote 50 percent of their time to teaching and 50 per cent of their time to research as opposed to devoting 100 per cent of their time to research as it has been the case.

Mr Kabasa said that the recommendations were made after allegations by some students that the Director kept changing the policy guidelines according to his whims, often to punish students who were perceived to be against his administration.
He however, noted that the investigations Committee observed that, “centrally to the allegations, that had been put forward, the PhD program is on course and this is to reaffirm that it is a University program and not a [prof] Mamdani program.”
He also added that: “most of the allegations that were made against the MISR management were found to be wrong.”
Meanwhile, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Acting Vice Chancellor of Makerere University said that Dr Stella Nyanzi, a research fellow had been summoned to appear before the appointments board on Friday over offences including her nude protest and vandalizing of university property.

“Dr Stella Nyanzi is still an employee with the University as far as I'm concerned and the University,” Prof Nawangwe told journalists that it is also on the same day that her fate shall be determined by the board.
Investigations into the management of MISR were commissioned at the height of the dispute between the institute’s executive director Mahmood Mamdani and Dr Nyanzi with the later accusing the former of poor management and having a vendetta against her.

[email protected]