COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES ON THE ROAD TO DISINTEGRATION

By The Makererean team

College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS)

Makerere University has set up a committee of eminent persons to investigate several cases of infighting, intrigue and power struggles that have caused an implosion at the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).

In a letter dated June 7,2013, Associate Prof. Constant Okello-Obura, the College’s Acting Principal has asked staff members to cooperate with the probe team.

“Dear colleagues, this is to inform you that the University Management has set up a committee to investigate into the conflicts in the College,” wrote Okello-Obura.

According to Prof. Okello-Obura, the committee will handle its work for 30 working days and they will conduct their work in room 412 (Fourth floor).

Prof. Charles Rwabukwali (College of Humanities and Social Sciences) has been appointed as the committee chairperson. The members are Prof. Lonzy OJok (College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity), Dr. Margaret Najjingo Mangheni, an associate Professor at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Dr. Josephine Ahikire, also an associate Professor -School of Women and Gender Studies.

Others include Peter O. Wandera, the Deputy Dean at the School of Law and Herbert Bataamye-Kyobe, a Secretary at the Department of Academic Registrar.

Prof. Okello-Obura kindly requested the college members to cooperate with the probe team and avail them any information they shall require.

Earlier in May the Makererean received reports that the college was grappling with intrigue and infighting which had forced many out of the institution once considered the centre for academic excellence.

The College’s deputy chairperson, Gilbert Maiga (PhD) in May said he chose to resign the towel to reserve time “to concentrate more on the teaching, research and graduate student supervision.”

However, an investigation by The Mkererean later discovered that Maiga quit due to longstanding differences with Dean of CoCIS, Dr Josephine Nabukenya.

One of the paragraphs in Maiga’s letter read; “At the interview venue, I was reliably informed by the secretariat (Mr. Thomas Baguma) that the constitution of the panel included my own Dean who is also my immediate supervisor at the place of work, Dr. Josephine Nabukenya,”

 He further wrote, “I therefore found myself in a position where I had to present myself to the panel to be interviewed by my Dean in an attempt to become her immediate superior. I expressed my discomfort to the secretariat through Mr. Baguma Thomas.”

In another correspondence seen by The Makererean, Maiga told fellow lecturer, Paul Bakaki to know as well as he does that CoCIS, they are factionalized and ‘fractured. “What you say at such a panel might in the near future be used against you. The decision for me to excuse myself from the process was made in that light.” Maiga told Bakaki.

Maiga emphasized that the incident has also had a souring effect on the previous cordial relationship between him and his Dean.”

Mess at the College.

Meanwhile, a recent internal audit at CoCIS showed gross mismanagement of the College.

The general environment of CIT was also inspected, with auditors discovering that the lift in Block B has never been installed yet there are many facilities beyond 4th floor which makes accessing higher levels of building difficult.

The report noted that the toilet facilities were not well maintained with some of them closed because of broken components, adding that they were dirty with stench smell noticeable in the corridors. This raised fresh worries about the safety of thousands of students who use the dilapidated toilet facilities and nearby lecture rooms.

The auditors also observed that general cleanliness of the College was not well attended to which posed potential negative image and health hazards. Block A had creeping plants growing on some parts of the building reflecting inadequate attention to the infrastructure.

The audit report exposed cases of mismanagement, favoritism and cliques with consultants warning the once school of excellence was treading on a road to “disintegration”.

Outgoing acting Principal, Prof Ikoja recently hired the services of consultant Dr Joseph Kasumba Ssewanyana to carry out research on the crisis at the College,  saying: “I am new here but within the short time I have been in, I see agony in some individuals and displeasure in others.”

“It is true that there is conflict within CIT and if a quick intervention is not identified, the school is moving towards disintegration. Staffs have lost morale and some are looking for opportunities to move out.” Ssewanyana’s report concluded.

The consultant added that the departments are failing to function as expected and that there was no team work in the school.

The consultant however proposed several options of addressing the crisis but noted that “further discussion revealed that the team building could not work as the initial step as the main problem was with the personality of the Dean (Josephine Nabukenya).”