Notes without emotion? The intro ...

For quite some time now, I have been thinking of creating a new blog!! Rather I have been inspired (Thank you Simon Kaheru) to put my opinions into a medium that the public can consume. I have had many false starts and have got bored along the way!! In other cases I have not got the response that i imagined or expected. My other blog, a rather technical one, where i give tips on the use of a certain programming language called "R" almost has no visitors and is not often updated (where is the emoticon for shame when you need it?). However, in private whats-app and google groups, and on social media, I tend to express my opinions on topics ranging from from social and political issues to professional ones (I am an engineer by profession). In these spheres, I have often got positive feedback and some of the clever people ( i wont mention their names for fear that their vanity may increase) think it is selfish for me not to write to a larger audience. So here I am, putting new wine in old bottles, hoping the result will be different this time due to social media which I hope will help bring my Notes without emotion? (the question mark is intended) to a large audience that will actually read them. The last serious commentary I wrote, which made the usual suspects (earlier mentioned) suggest to me once again that I should blog, was about the recent closure of Makerere University by the man they call the "Visitor". These academics and their terminologies? A man is in charge of your budget, and your security and can close your house at his will and you still call him a visitor!! On Facebook, I follow a number of people and this list includes the famous (infamous?) Stella Nyanzi whose writings both inspire me on occasions and sometimes out-rightly shock me. On 12 November 2016 Stella asked the following questions on her facebook profile which I feel were relevant questions to ask for anyone trying to find out a new direction for Makerere (This post from Stella was the inspiring kind :) so dont worry)

What if Makerere University remained closed forever? Does Uganda lose anything if the oldest university never reopens? Does Makerere play any role(s) today? Is Makerere's usefulness, perhaps, over? Why should this university resume, if at all it should? In what alternative forms should Makerere University reopen? Is there any guarantee that reopening the university will be the beginning of a new era free from strikes on the hill? I had a troubled night with a recurrent dream of striking students in red gowns, padlocks fixed in metallic doors, and armed policemen littering the main campus. There are lots of questions on my mind!!!

My response to Stella which is slightly adapted and which I went on to share with others on different social media was as follows. While i like Makerere to stay open I also have this controversial opinion that an institution that is indispensable cannot be closed. That it is closed is an indicator that despite what the professors feel and know about themselves, the political leaders know that they can close the University and get away with it!! Why? Makerere is no longer the only university in the land and even though it has much better facilities, and in many faculties like medicine and engineering churns out a product other universities can only dream about, the majority of courses offered can be found elsewhere . To an ordinary observer like me, the university churns out mostly graduates , a good number of whom can't be employed due to the economic fundamentals in Uganda. Being a graduate in Uganda is no longer a guarantee for success in Uganda and government and the private sector aren't creating the kind of jobs graduates need as quickly as required . There is a lot of research going on at Makerere but does the society feel its impact or even know it's from Makerere? The local Ugandan peasant who makes up 85 % of the population ( the guy with the political numbers); does he feel and know the worth of this institution and it's relevance to his daily struggles? Where is the life changing technology from Makerere that a peasant can use to change his life , methods of production, etc. These issues show that MUK may not be positioning itself to be valued locally despite its ranking in Africa (That ranking is probably based on publications among other things). Lastly in a country with real GDP of 571.96 USD (2013); from a peasant's perspective lecturers already earn a lot. The lecturers must not only use strikes for their cause to be successful; they must show ordinary Ugandans that we can't do without them and the people will be willing to pay them more. They must become indispensable because who can dare close an indispensable institution Stella's response was

"It is scary, but there are many political elite who think like you. If this is how one perceives the role of Makerere, no wonder they close it like a pig sty."

To which i replied, "The university doesn't live in isolation from its environment and the associated politics. I think the responsibility lies with the university to develop a strategy that draws the masses to be more understanding of their value. That's how you beat the politicians." I added that that the quality of some of the students is also doubtful . I have had the opportunity to supervise Msc students with a Bsc from MUK in a university outside Uganda and sometimes i am amazed at what they can't do!! Poor supervision of theses seems to be rampant and the ability of some of these students to think outside the box is non existent. It's like you have to spoon feed them. And this includes even some people who have been retained as teachers !!"

As I write this, Makerere University is now reopened and i am told there is a probe going on to look into issues within the university. I dont know the terms of reference of this probe, but i hope they dont take a simplistic response focusing only on welfare of lecturers, fees from evening courses etc only. I hope they can look into strategic aspects of making the university more relevant within the economic context of Uganda. They should look for example into aspects og performance of lecturers, strategic questions about research in Makerere and its relevance to the Ugandan people, on top of the many administrative issues (recruiting, welfare etc).

I would like to see a debate on what Makerere and indeed other emerging and struggling universities in Uganda, ought to be focusing on.

Its not only Universities of course that intrigue me in the pearl of Africa's crown. The universities may be suffering from the same symptoms many public institutions have. I feel that in many institutions individuals may not be accountable for the results from their specific desks, they are not thinking or encouraged to think and question. Many are asking what the boss wants them to do, while the boss probably has no clue himself. Create a system that gives individuals more responsibility and accountability and creative space, create performance measures that are directly linked to individuals and that are also measurable by the general society and may be the situation can be different. I would love to see unemotional, intellectual debate on these issues (not just blaming the government or "gavumenti etuyamebe, egeende" etc..)

Lastly, I hope to keep you engaged or angry at my "Notes without emotion?" whenever I can publish them. Let me hear from you.