Makerere University academic staff will next academic year begin series of debates on national, regional and international issues. This was revealed by Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu, the Chairperson of the Makerere University Academic Staff Association at the launch of the Bernard Onyango Academic Excellence Awards at Makerere University on Friday, May 30th. Responding to former Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi comment that Makerere no longer had stellar academics and administrators and that its glory had faded, Dr. Kiggundu announced that hot academic debates would commence in the next academic year. “I would like to say that we can not afford to sing the old glory; (and) come next academic year, we shall be holding tough academic debates.” Shortly after the launch, Dr. Kiggundu told this reporter that debates on national issues would take place every month while those on regional issues would be held after two months. Debates on international issues will be held quarterly and will feature an international discussant. While presenting his keynote address at the event, Prof. Nsibambi had asked “Just the other day, a newspaper called me to ask why President Museveni no longer included (Makerere) academics in his cabinet. While I told them it was not true-there are still a number of academics in Government today-the question nevertheless raises a related issue: where is the new crop of stellar academics and administrators today? Where are the Kyalwazi’s (of Surgery), the Okot p’Biteks (of Literature and Poetry) and Ali Mazruis (in Political Science)-Makerere’s scholars of yesterday who shook the academic and professional worlds of their times?”