Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) Executive Director Prof. Mahmood Mamdani has issued a statement saying the institute’s management will not cooperate with the committee set up to investigate crisis at the institute.

The committee came at the heels of yesterday’s naked protest by Dr. Stella Nyanzi, a fellow at the institute following closure of her office by Prof. Mamdani on Friday last week. In a statement issued on Tuesday morning, Prof. Mamdani stated that the university vice chancellor Prof. Ddumba Ssentamu lacks the moral authority to set up such a committee.

“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,” the statement reads.

Adding: “The VC should exclude himself from the process. This would allow the Committee to conduct its work in an impartial manner as well as to look into the VCs own conduct, in particular, the extent of the VC’s involvement in encouraging, fomenting and prolonging insubordination of both Dr. Nyanzi and a few graduate students of MISR, all of whom have been increasingly emboldened by what they see as the support towards their cause from the highest office in this institution

“And the basis and accuracy of allegations the VC presented before the Appointments Board over the last few months to bolster his case against the PhD programme at MISR and the renewal of the Director’s contract.”

Mamdani argued that the terms of the Committee are totally silent about the events of Monday morning, events which have radically changed the situation at MISR and adversely affected MISR’s position in the academic world. He argued that the Management of MISR wasnot consulted prior to constituting these terms of reference.

“We find these terms of reference partial, selective, and prejudicial. They are stacked to investigate the management of MISR and not Dr. Nyanzi, to investigate the director and divert attention from the events of Monday morning that have created an explosive crisis at MISR,”Mamadani said.

Mamdani said the prerequisite to addressing the present situation is three- fold; including setting up a truly impartial consultative (rather than investigatory) process, transferring Dr. Nyanzi from MISR and consulting all constituencies (students, academic staff, management) in the process that follows and do it only after the new semester begins in mid-May.

Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) Executive Director Prof. Mahmood Mamdani hasissued a statement saying the institute’s management will not cooperate with the committee set up to investigate crisis at the institute.

The committee came at the heels of yesterday’s naked protest by Dr. Stella Nyanzi, a fellow at the institute following closure of her office by Prof. Mamdani on Friday last week. In a statement issued on Tuesday morning, Prof. Mamdani stated that the university vice chancellor Prof. Ddumba Ssentamu lacks the moral authority to set up such a committee.

“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,” the statement reads.

Adding: “The VC should exclude himself from the process. This would allow the Committee to conduct its work in an impartial manner as well as to look into the VCs own conduct, in particular, the extent of the VC’s involvement in encouraging, fomenting and prolonging insubordination of both Dr. Nyanzi and a few graduate students of MISR, all of whom have been increasingly emboldened by what they see as the support towards their cause from the highest office in this institution

“And the basis and accuracy of allegations the VC presented before the Appointments Board over the last few months to bolster his case against the PhD programme at MISR and the renewal of the Director’s contract.”

Mamdani argued that the terms of the Committee are totally silent about the events of Monday morning, events which have radically changed the situation at MISR and adversely affected MISR’s position in the academic world. He argued that the Management of MISR wasnot consulted prior to constituting these terms of reference.

“We find these terms of reference partial, selective, and prejudicial. They are stacked to investigate the management of MISR and not Dr. Nyanzi, to investigate the director and divert attention from the events of Monday morning that have created an explosive crisis at MISR,”Mamadani said.

Mamdani said the prerequisite to addressing the present situation is three- fold; including setting up a truly impartial consultative (rather than investigatory) process, transferring Dr. Nyanzi from MISR and consulting all constituencies (students, academic staff, management) in the process that follows and do it only after the new semester begins in mid-May.