KAMPALA — Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has on Monday December 30 defended the ‘controversial’ William Ruto Institute after backlash from Kenya.
In a brief statement on the university social media platforms, Prof Nawangwe says Makau’s comments criticizing the establishment of the William Ruto Institute of Leadership Studies at Makerere are mis-guided and out of context.
“The Institute is not an academic award as Prof. Makau W. Mutua seems to insinuate, but a rare initiative by an African political leader to support African indigenous scholarship,” he said in a statement.
He added that William Ruto’s initiative should be commended by all patriotic African elites and not condemned out of apparent misconception.
”He is simply helping build an Institute for Leadership and as the champion and key funder, it is just logical that it is named after him. In any case Ruto is no simple person, he is a two time Deputy President of a neighboring country”.
“He could have chosen to do this at his alma mater, University of Nairobi and I doubt that anybody would have rejected his request. He chose Makerere for good reasons and we have no problem with that,” reads an excerpt.
Makerere awaits the implementation of yet another initiative by another great Kenyan leader, Mwai Kibaki, which he launched four years ago.
US-based Kenyan scholar, Prof Makau had December 26 described Makerere’s action as an absurd and totally inconceivable blunder that was poised to spoil the reputation of higher education in Uganda.
The popular Law Don argued that the news had turned the once—respectable institution (Makerere University) into an object of ridicule.
“A William Ruto Leadership Institute Makerere University is the most absurd and utterly inconceivable blunder in the history of higher education in Africa,” he said.
He added that: “Today Makerere University is the laughing stock of the world. I expect students, faculty, and staff to quickly erase this abomination. Now!”
