Prof Mahmood Mamdani early this month directed the executive director of Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) to Dr Stella Nyanzi, a senior research fellow at the institute, to vacate office.
This came after Dr. Stella had declined to participate in a PhD program at MISR.
In a letter dated April 4, Mamdani argued that MISR was short on office space and therefore only staff participating in the program would be allocated office space there.
It read in part: “I note that in spite of multiple invitations and instructions over several years you are the only research fellow who has refused to participate in the PhD program…In light of these circumstances I regret this notice asking you to vacate the office you currently use at MISR and handover the keys to the property manager, Mr George Owor, not later than April 15, 2016.”
This all incident set the stage for a new confrontation.