Trails of WhatsApp messages we have seen shows officials in confusion, wondering what was going on because they had not heard from Dr Kakumba.
Kakumba, the deputy vice chancellor for academic affairs, was on Friday removed from the ‘Mak Academic Leaders’ WhatsApp group by Winston Tumps Ireeta, an associate professor of physics, without notice.
Trails of WhatsApp messages the Nile Post has seen shows officials at Uganda’s premier institution of learning in confusion, wondering what was going on because they had not heard from Dr Kakumba.
As officials at the Hill were still trying to put a head to tail, Deputy Registrar Patience Mushengyezi Rubabinda removed Dr Kakumba from the ‘Mak Senate Members’ group as well.
“As Kakumba was removed, one number was added and it seems to belong to Dr David Luyombya, an Associate Professor of Records and Archives Management and Head of the Department of Records and Archives Management in the East African School of Library and Information Science,” a message shared by one of the top dons at Makerere say.
The Nile Post contacted Dr Kakumba about the whirlwind events at the university but he had not responded more than 24 hours later.
“I believe that if Prof Kakumba was told that you are no longer DVC (AA), himself would have written a message on the WhatsApp groups his position subscribes to and told them bye-bye just like others whose terms end do,” another official said.
“As I understand it, seven months ago, he applied for evaluation and reappointment in line with UOTIA [the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act].
“The only answer he has now is removal from Leaders WhatsApp group, removal from Senate WhatsApp group and perhaps removal from Management WhatsApp groups. Is this a vulgarised system we want to see at Makerere University?”
