The Makerere University staff appeals tribunal has ordered that the university appointments board hears afresh the disciplinary case that resulted into suspension and transfer of Dr Stella Nyanzi, a research fellow at Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) and immediately have her reinstated at the said institute of research.
The university appointments board has, accordingly, been tasked to hear the case again and to also consider Dr Nyanzi’s application for promotion to the position of senior research fellow within 2 months (60 days).
This order from the tribunal consequently quashes the decision of the appointments board that resulted into suspension of Dr Nyanzi and immediate transfer from MISR to School of Law’s Human Rights and Peace Centre (HURIPEC).
“The decisions of the appointment board made against the appellant (Dr Stella) at its 544th meeting held on Wednesday 10th February 2017 are hereby set aside. The appointments board is hereby directed to hear and complete the disciplinary proceeding against Dr Stella Nyanzi arising from the findings of the investigations committee set up by the appointments board to carry out in depth investigation into MISR issues within sixty (60) days from the date of this decision,” the tribunal report reads in part.
The tribunal is chaired by lawyer George Omunyokol and includes several other representatives like ministry of public service’s Herbert Kiguli, MUASA’s Dr Rose Nakayi and Prof George W Lubega; Makerere Administrative Staff Association’s Tom Otim and Ruth Eyoku and Senate’s Dr Consolata Kabonesa.
The tribunal was informed by the fact that Dr Stella Nyanzi was denied a chance to a fair hearing since she was not given chance to defend herself.
Dr Nyanzi was suspended from Makerere in April 2016 after she undressed in public to protest alleged mistreatment by MISR director, Prof Mahmood Mamdani.
The university appointments board instituted a committee chaired by Sharifah Bukenzi, a commissioner for human resource management at the ministry of public service, to probe among others the disagreement between Prof Mamdani and Dr Nyanzi. The board later, basing on findings by this committee, suspended her and transferred her to the School of Law.
It is the decision of this appointments board meeting that Dr Nyanzi contested through her lawyer, Mr Isaac Ssemakadde.
