Now that I have been ordered to report back to duty with immediate effect, are the journalists who misrepresented my protest at Makerere University going to eat up their words? – Dr. Stella Nyanzi
Dr. Stella Nyanzi, a well known university academic in Uganda was locked out of her office after a row with the management at Makerere University in April 2016.
In protest against the lock out by the institute’s director Prof. Mahmood Mamdani, she stripped naked while on the school premises, sparking massive debate in and out of the country.
Moments before stripping naked, the medical anthropologist with a PhD from the University of London based on ethnographic fieldwork of youth sexualities, sexual and reproductive health in The Gambia took to her Facebook page and wrote; “The battle cry of the oppressed is my cry this morning. I am going to undress oppression at MISR as I undress myself to the nude.”
Although some supported her move, others saw the act as immoral.
This included Father Simon Lokodo, minister of ethics and integrity who called for her arrest citing violation of Uganda’s anti-pornographic act.
On the same matter, popular political figure Miria Matembe asked relatives and friends of Nyanzi to hurry and find her medical assistance, emphasizing that she is mentally challenged.
Matembe said an academic of her caliber could have explored other available options before sinking so low.
In accordance with section 5.9 (d) (i) of its human resource manual, Makerere University suspended Nyanzi from the institute of social research (MISR) amid investigations into the matter.
She months later scooped a research fellowship worth R75,000 (about sh17.6m) per month in South Africa.
She took the news to her followers stressing that she doubted ever returning to Makerere, now that she had landed a well-paying job.
Nevertheless, through her interaction on Facebook last week, Nyanzi boastfully revealed that she was called back to her office at Makerere University with immediate effect.
She revealed that the institution is refunding her salary “that was illegally deducted from me during the illegal suspension.” She said.
“Now that I have been ordered to report back to duty with immediate effect, are the journalists who misrepresented my protest at Makerere University going to eat up their words? Are the haters who waxed thick about how I was fired from work going to cut off their lying tongues? Are those who threatened to arrest or beat me up going to beat themselves with angst? Will those who pronounced me insane, go and check themselves into Butabika?” She said.
Adding: “Now that Makerere University is refunding my salary that was illegally deducted from me during the illegal suspension, where are those who were scorning, ridiculing and shaming me? Does Makerere think that they can refund my wasted time and reduced productivity arising from the illegal suspension? Does Makerere think that they can buy my silence against their injustices, mismanagement and administrative failures that I previously protested against?”
Born in June 1974, Dr Nyanzi says that she is very ready to walk nude again if the University attempts to suspend her illegally at any time in the future when back at work.
“Now that I am returning to Makerere University to work as a Research Fellow, what will happen to all those who denigrated my academic contributions as a researcher? When I continue doing my research that I love, will the foolish line managers continue blocking my promotion on grounds that I do not work? Will the campus security send brainless security personnel in plain clothes and with handcuffs hidden on their person? I am thinking of walking nude on campus for as many days as the university illegally suspended me!”
Question on the table is, Will team work be possible with those she calls “foolish line managers”?
Mr Bruce Kabasa, the appointments board chairperson has told journalists that Dr Nyanzi will be posted in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) but they are still “making consultations.”
It is further reported that the university will only pay the money for the months after October 2016 when the suspension ended.
By Samuel Ballagadde.
