A meeting expected to draw a sigh of relief from Makerere University collapsed last evening, with lecturers storming out before a key vote.
The Makerere University Academic Staff Association, (Muasa) had hoped to decide whether to accept a government offer that would have paved way for the institution to reopen, possibly next month. Instead, the meeting at the university main hall degenerated into pushing and shoving, as members accused each other of being politically influenced.
Coming 45 days since the university was closed following a lecturers’ strike over unpaid allowances, the meeting started well. An upbeat Muasa chairman, Dr Muhammad Kiggundu Musoke, outlined what his executive squeezed out of the university council. His prayer was that members should accept the offer and get the university reopened, as they push for more.
However, towards the time of the would-be vote, Dr William Tayeebwa, the head of the department of journalism and communication, wondered at whose behest the dons were about to vote.
“Who asked us to do what we are going to do today? Do we have another force that you are not telling us, say the visitor [President Museveni]?” Tayeebwa asked.
He added that according to the way Kiggundu was directing the debate, it was as if someone had given him orders to see that lecturers suspend the strike so as to reopen the university.
Short of full disclosure, Tayeebwa would not vote. In response, Kiggundu denied being influenced by anyone. He had not even talked to the president or any other government official.
“You’re more connected to the president than I am. My station is Makerere; I have not got any phone call from the president. I’m color-free (political party) that is why I have managed to achieve what I have achieved,” Kiggundu said. He added that closure of the university had not helped the striking staff, and there was no need for the strike to continue.
Building on Tayeebwa’s submission, law don John Jean Barya who is the legal adviser to Muasa, guided that, before the vote to suspend or continue striking, there was need for a vote on whether voting should be there at all.
“We don’t have sufficient proposals on which to vote. Secondly, council has not asked us to vote. It is premature to vote until we get proper proposals from council,” Barya said.
With this, several members stormed out, accusing their chairman of trying to arm-twist them into voting. It took almost 30 minutes for the remaining members to calm down and let Kiggundu formally close the meeting.
In a December 13 letter to Muasa, the university council chairman, Dr Charles Wana-Etyem, had indicated that the university was ready to pay the salary and incentive for November immediately, whereas the incentives for four months would be paid before June 30, 2017.
The letter also indicated that the payment of incentive arrears after June 2016 would be discussed after consultations with relevant authorities. This deal, which is not different from what council was offering even before the university was closed, angered lecturers who reasoned that if they accept, it the public would take them as unserious.
“This is an insult; this is the offer we had before the strike. It shows lack of competency on the side of the executive in articulating our issues,” Said Dr James Ochita, a literature lecturer.
Others argued that there was no reason for calling off the strike before their issues are addressed because in the end they will strike again.
“It is not the money we want; we want to end these perennial problems. People have high regard for us but we suspend today only to resume later,” an elderly female lecturer for 27 years argued. “Please, I’m begging you, let’s do it the right way once and for all so that there won’t be another strike by teachers for a very long time.”
Others, however, wanted the university reopened to give room for negotiations.
“Even if we decide to continue with the strike, we will not get the money; even the head of state has said it categorically,” said Robert Kakuru, from the college of Humanities and Social Sciences.
His views were echoed by Professor Baker Nyakaana, who added that the university should be reopened so as to give chance to the Abel Rwendeire-led visitation committee to do its work.
“How are we going to conduct a headcount of the staff and students when we are scattered all over the country? It is us who have been crying that Makerere should be audited. We have also lost much of our credibility; let’s suspend the strike and create a conducive environment for the visitation to do its work,” Nyakaana said.
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