Makerere University has laid off a number of staff including the embattled Research fellow, Dr. Stella Nyanzi who is currently on remand in Luzira prison on charges of disturbing President Yoweri Museveni’s peace.
According to the document signed by Makerere University Appointments Board following several board meetings, Nyanzi was laid off together with 44 other staff members citing the expiry of her contract as reason for the decision to lay her off.
Nyanzi’s fall out with Makekerere University administration began back in 2016 after she undressed live on TV in protest of what she termed as unlawful eviction from her office by Makerere Insitute of Social Research (MISR) boss, Prof Mahmood Mamdani.
Mamdani claimed that Nyanzi had refused to teach on the university’s Phd programme while Nyanzi said her contract only stated she was a researcher.
In March 2017, Nyanzi was indefinitely suspended by the then Makerere university Vice Chancellor, Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu on the orders of the appointments board chairman Bruce Balaba Kabaasa for attacking the First Lady and Education minister, Janet Museveni on Facebook. Nyanzi had taken to Facebook to criticize the Minister for her ‘incompetence’ in runnig the Ministry of Education.
But the staff appeals tribunal in October this year ordered the university to reinstate Nyanzi and pay her outstanding emoluments. The tribunal said Management failed to conduct Nyanzi’s disciplinary hearings within the statutory four weeks after suspension.
The latest decision to permanently fire Nyanzi is premised on claims that she had ceased being an employee of the University and now that her contract had expired, there would be no reason to have it renewed.
Other staff including lecturers, assistant lecturers, teaching assistants, librarians among others have been fired due to several reasons among them – abscondment, incompetence, inefficiency, insurbodination, soliciting bribes and assault.
Some of the staff who had been suspended have been reinstated while others have been dismissed, others dismissed and others had charges previously labeled against them dropped.
Dr James Ocita, a lecturer, was as well dismissed from the university for insurbodination and use of abusive language.
Another lecturer, Dr. Swizen Kyomuhendo has also been dismissed from work for acting prejudicial to proper performance of official duties or university’s image or status. The embattled Kyomuhendo was earlier this year suspended from the university following allegations of sexual harassment (of a female student) against him.
Others laid off include Dr. Richard Mayanja, Perez Arinaitwe, Dr. Juma Okuku, Dr. Charles Nowagaba, Dr. Richard Okou, Michael Muleme among others.