Professor Mahmood Mamdani has officially retired as Makerere Institute of Social Research-Misr Director. Mamdani, a scholar with international acclaim was appointed as Director in 2010 returning to Makerere almost after 30 years after he left in 1993 for South Africa.
Alongside Makerere Mamdani has been (and continues to be) a professor of politics and government at Columbia University in the United States.
Speaking to staff and students at a farewell party, Mamdani said he was happy that he was leaving Misr better than he found it 12 years ago. One of his most prized achievements he said, was the introduction of the Ph.D. programme that has seen a number of candidates graduate from it.
“When I appeared before the Academic Board, I told them I wanted to turn around MISR from being a consultancy organization to an academic organization that produces knowledge…Of course, this was not going to be easy but I’m happy that we succeeded,” Mamdani said.
He added that now that he is retiring, he is going to deduct the rest of his time to writing and publishing books.
“I want to thank you for not having exhausted me to the point that I can no longer write. To me writing is like breathing,” Mamdani said.
Mamdani’s tenure at MISR has not been without incident. In 2016 he fought a vicious war with then Academic Fellow Dr. Stella Nyanzi who accused him of poor management style.
Nyanzi before she was sacked from Makerere said she had been hired as an academic researcher but Mamdani wanted her to teach on the newly introduced Ph.D. program.
In his parting shots, Mamdani said despite the draining nature of the fights he has had during his tenure, nonetheless were all worth it because he was able to contribute significantly to the development of Makerere than he would have if he had remained in America.
“We have been able to accomplish things which no eye can miss; we have constructed this Okot p’Btek pavilion, we have constructed a modern library all this makes us very happy,” Mamdani said.
The University is in the process of recruiting a replacement although previous adverts calling for applications have gone unanswered. Owing to this lack of expression of interest, the University Appointments Board resolved that the next director be headhunted.
In the meantime, Dr. Grace-Edward Galabuzi, a lecturer at MISR has been appointed as acting director until a substantial director is appointed.