Staff Reporter|The Ugandan Labour Court has ordered for the reinstatement of controversial government critic Dr Stella Nyanzi at Makereke University after she was dismissed by the university board in April last year for insulting first lady and Education Minister Janet Museveni.
The tribunal ruled that the indefinite suspension imposed on Nyanzi by the university was unlawful and illegal because it contravened Sec 63 (2) of the Employment Act (2006).
“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,” said Dr Nyanzi after the judgement.
The university was also ordered to pay to her all emoluments owed to her including all monies withheld 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.
The chairman of the Appointments Board of Makerere University suspended research fellow Dr Nyanzi in April last year for her facebook posts insulting the First Lady Janet Museveni.
In various posts on her facebook page, Dr Nyanzi attacked Mrs Museveni, using vulgar language, for urging parents not to “pile children” on commuter motorbikes commonly known as boda boda.
Ms Nyanzi also scolded Mrs Museveni as the Minister of Education for failing to provide sanitary pads that would help to keep girls from poor families in school.
The academic had also used her facebook account to draw attention to the government’s human rights record, poor performance in public health care delivery, and accused it of electoral fraud in the 2016 polls which she says saw her vote for Opposition presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye, stolen.
Dr Nyanzi’s other posts insinuated that there is a government hand in ongoing land grabbing, the increase in beggars on the streets and extrajudicial killings of Ugandans.