By Allen Kisakye
Dr Stella Nyanzi is over the moon after the Makerere Staff Appeals Tribunal ordered the university appointments board reinstate the former research fellow at Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR).
She will also be paid all emoluments owed to her – including all monies withheld from her by virtue of the illegal suspension – within the next 10 working days.
“Wuuuuuululululu! We won, my people, we won. Makerere University Staff Appeals Tribunal judged in my favour a few minutes ago. I celebrate my brilliant lawyer, brother, friend and Comrade – Isaac Ssemakadde for a tough legal battle won. This is a brilliant and rare day for justice, rule of law, and respect of labour rights of public servants in Uganda. This is a great win for academic freedom, freedom of expression, and freedom of conscience and thought. I feel like David after slaying Goliath,” Dr Nyanzi wrote in a facebook post earlier today, Tuesday, October 2.
Dr Nyanzi was suspended last year by the chairman of the Appointments Board of Makerere University for her facebook posts insulting the First Lady and Education minister Janet Museveni.
“In total disregard of the aforementioned warning, Dr Nyanzi has continued to use social media to violate Section 5.7.7 of the Makerere University Human Resource Manual 2009. It’s particularly regrettable that Dr Nyanzi has made it a habit to insult, dehumanise and castigate the line Minister of Education and Sports under whose docket Makerere University’s supervision falls,” Mr Bruce Baraba said then.
According to Dr Nyanzi, the tribunal ruled that the second indefinite suspension to which Makerere University subjected her to, was unlawful and illegal because it contravenes Sec 63 (2) of the Employment Act (2006). The Appointments Board was found to be in breach of the law and gross failure to conduct its statutory duty.
“Among many favourable remedies, the Tribunal set aside and lifted the indefinite suspension with immediate effect. Furthermore, the university must pay to me all emoluments owed to me – including all monies withheld from me by virtue of the illegal suspension – within the next 10 working days. Moreover, the Tribunal instructed the university to conduct any pending disciplinary actions within 30 days. Oh Lord, my God! I need to stop right here so that I first analyse and internalise this,” she said.
She promised to share copies of the ruling later.
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