Professor Mahmood Mamdani, the Director for Makerere University Institute of Social Research (MISR) has retired after heading the Institute for over 10 years. Prof Mamdani, whose tenure expired on Monday, 28th February 2022 officially retired on Tuesday, 1st March.
Mamdani made headlines when he made researcher Dr. Stella Nyanzi’s stay at MISR impossible a few years back. Mamdani wanted Nyanzi to become one of the lecturers of a new Ph.D. course at MISR, something that she didn’t agree with. The former Makerere researcher later accused Mamdani of poor management, which worsened the already bad relationship between the two researchers.
While addressing MISR staff members at his farewell party on Tuesday, Mamdani noted that he was happy to leave MISR better than he found it 12 years ago.
“When I appeared before the academic board, I told them that I wanted to turn around MISR from a consultancy organisation to an academic institution that produces knowledge. Of course, this was not going to be easy, but I am happy we succeeded,” Mamdani said.
He further highlighted on some of his achievements at MISR like the introduction of a P.h.D programme that has yielded a number of graduates. Mamdani also lauded the university for not exploiting his skills to the point of not being able to write anymore.
“I want to thank you for not having exhausted me, to the point that I can nolonger write,” He said.
“We have been able to accomplish things, which no eye can miss; we have constructed this Okot P’ Bitek pavilion, we have constructed a modern Library, and this makes us very happy,” He added.
The search for Prof Mamdani’s replacement has so far not yielded any candidate, forcing the university to appoint Dr. Grace Edward Galabuzi, a lecturer at the same institute as the Acting Director.
