I will continue to tell Prof Umar Kakumba's troubles with Makerere University through the lens of classic tragic drama.
One of the binding lessons from Shakespeare/ Victorian tragedian writing is that heroes and heroines were not simple characters who stood for just themselves, but entire constituencies. So, Mark Antony would tell us upon the death of Julius Caesar: "...Great Caesar fell/ O, what a fall was there, my countrymen! / Then I and you and all of us fell down."
Indeed, a time comes when, after or amidst an illustrious career - either as kings or queens, military generals or as a cherished administrator like Umar Kakumba - the individual ceases being a private person but, rather, an embodiment, a representation of entire constituencies.
After the publication of my piece on how Makerere University inexplicably frustrated one of its most illustrious products and admins - Prof Kakumba - many colleagues, senior and junior, academic and administrative, called on me for more context, and many more harrowing stories of frustration and pain.
Sadly, despite possessing receipts of their abuse, majority 'speak in whispers,' afraid of being blacklisted by a tyrannical network of hungry hyenas waiting in the woods to humiliate them in moments of need. But from these horror stories, one quickly confirms - one more time - that (a) Kakumba has been surely an administrative darling whose continuing disrespect and mistreatment hurts many.
There is a general feeling of despondency clouding Makerere following Kakumba's troubles. (b) Many senior and experienced academics are seriously contemplating exiting Makerere, way before their retirement, because of the way 'the cabal,' as some powerful snitches and co-conspirators are described, continue to run Makerere University mafia-style, creating a terribly toxic work environment.
BLIND SPOTS
It becomes clear that this powerful 'cabal' has failed to realise (a) that a university has to operate with some key aspects that cannot be compromised: efficiently and professionally-run academic units; a smooth and accountable administration. All these take years to build but can be ruined by a single stupid move or a series of stupid moves.
With a 'high-schoolish' wall already around, Makerere University is fast sliding into the ranks of a glorified secondary school, while retaining the name of a university.
(b) Our friends have failed to understand that they are presiding over some credentialed individuals whose papers and experiences offer them a great deal of employment mobility and fluidity. I know, blinded by power, the cabal tends to arrogantly respond that, "others will come."
But they ought to be reminded that in a country of allegedly 45 million people, we have just about 1,800 PhD holders -- and a few excellent folks. (Notice also that many folks in the cabal have sketchy and dodgy resumes).
(c) Sadly, instead of letting the university thrive with all its constituent units--intellectual freedom, activism, administrative efficiency--and perhaps busk from its successes or eat the profits thereof, the folks at the top have decided to simply eat the university itself. The even sadder part is that they seem not to realise that eating the university is the story of a worm that killed its host. They got buried together.
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL AS TRAGIC-COMEDY
Dear reader, I am still trying to wrap my head around the generous display of madness, shamelessness, and absolute mafia-style antics that transpired in the Council Meeting of June 27.
The possible reappointment of Prof Kakumba was one of the key agenda items, and the stage was set between the Council chairperson, Ms Lorna Magara of Vine International Christian Academy, closely associated with Prof Bernabas Nawangwe, and a couple of other co conspirators. They would be facing off with majority of Council, generally impressed by our tragedian hero.
I will start from the beginning. Fasten your seatbelts. In expressing interest in reappointment, Kakumba, among other things, found strength in a recent legal opinion by the attorney general, Kiryowa Kiwanuka where he guided Ms Magara on August 5, 2022 on the reappointment of his associate (more accurately, conscript), Barnabas Nawangwe.
Kiryowa guided that, if the incumbent (VC, DVCAA, DVCFA, among others) ever expressed interest in reappointment for the second term, reappointment would be based on the evaluation or appraisal of their completed term. During this epic Council meeting, members were anxious to hear from the committee that had evaluated Kakumba's credentials for reappointment.
In an inelegant PowerPoint presentation by the very loquacious Dr Sarah Ssali on behalf of Prof Nawangwe and Ms Magara, the final mark awarded to our tragic hero was 55 per cent. But the presentation had instead opened more questions than answers. In a weird twist of events, the evaluation reports of the last four years (2018- 2022), which had rated Kakumba at an average of 98 per cent were missing on Kakumba's file -- and had not been integrated into this new appraisal.
Prof Nawangwe, in an absolute display of weakness - not shamelessness - claimed he had not evaluated his deputy for the last four years!
How was this possible? "If the Kakumba who is often left in charge of the university when the VC goes on his many travels performed at 55 per cent, where does that leave the VC himself ?" one Council member queried. Against what performance was the VC evaluated and recommended for reappointment just last year - if he had not even done the simple job of appraising his deputy?
Upon rejection of this gangling assessment, Council members asked about the office of the DVCAA, considering that Kakumba's acting contract had expired and not gotten renewed about a month ago. To this, comrade Nawangwe assured the members that there was no crisis despite the office being empty.
Something like, the DVCAA was not needed, the Ukraine-trained architect seemed to suggest. But then, in a not-so-surprising move, on July 11, 2024, Prof Mukadasi Buyinza would be appointed into the acting position of DVCAA for a six-month period. Quite awkwardly, Buyinza presently doubles as academic registrar and DVCAA, both of which are substantive positions.
Consider also that the academic registrar is ordinarily meant to report to the DVCAA! What do we call these poorly scripted comic skits?
COUNTING THE COST
Clearly something else is going on. There is plenty of poorly- scripted gambling that is ruining the university in many ways that top management seem not to count the cost. Among other reasons, for the scarcity of qualified personnel -- coupled with these stupid gambles -- Makerere remains staffed at an average of 47 per cent.
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Some departments are as bad as 15 per cent. But the frustrating games continue. For example, that in the last three years, the illustrious school of law has lost, or is destined to lose, the highly credentialled professors, Frederick Juuko, John Jean Barya, Sylvia Tamale, Joe Oloka-Onyango, Ben Twinomugisha and David Bakibinga.
While some had reached their retirement, they simply decided not to seek any post-retirement contracts, despite the pleadings of their juniors. They have had enough of this drama. But what does it mean losing these legends, all at the same time? Under normal circumstances, postretirement could go for a maximum eight years (4:2:2) and would help with understaffing challenges, professorial expertise, and international rankings.
Elsewhere, over 10 professors in the last five years have been frustrated out of this understaffed institution: My friends at political science, Sabiti Makara, J.K. Nyakana, Edward Kirumira, Godfrey Asiimwe and Yasin Olum, Patrick Mangeni (playwright, and only professor of theatre), William Muhumuza, Francis Ejobi, Samuel Majalija and several others.
School of Education's Prof Jude Ssempebwa just beat Makerere in court in some silly promotional scandal. What is this nonsense?
Sadly, however, these academics after Nawangwe successfully ruined their trade union, MUASA, have settled for 'talking in whispers' in the spirit of self-preservation. Comrades, as one wise man noted, "the secret to freedom is courage." This is our university, and we all have an equal stake. Fight.
The author is a political theorist based at Makerere University.
