Critics Of William Ruto Institute of Leadership Studies at Makerere Are Misguided, University Speaks

Uganda’s Makerere University management has responded to critics of the newly established Dr William Ruto Institute of Leadership Studies at Makerere University.

In a statement published on its social media accounts, the management said that the critics are “misguided and out of context”.

“William Ruto’s initiative should be commended by all patriotic African elites and not condemned out of apparent misconception. Makerere awaits the implementation of yet another initiative by another great Kenyan leader, Mwai Kibaki, which he launched four years ago,” said the University.

In an opinion piece written by Makau Mutua, he termed the establishment as the “butt of all jokes”, since no Kenyan university – even the most craven and debased – has ever given Mr Ruto such a sterling honour.

“There are ethical rules that govern the naming of academic buildings, programmes, and institutes for living – or dead – people,” opined Mutua.

Read: Probe Unearths 16000 Ghost Students At Uganda’s Makerere University

However, trying to justify the move, Makerere said the move was not academically related.

“The Institute is not an academic award as Makau Mutua seems to insinuate, but a rare initiative by an African political leader to support African indigenous scholarship,” the University added.

The opinion written in one of the East African dailies criticizing the establishment of the @WilliamsRuto Institute of Leadership Studies at Makerere is mis-guided and out of context. pic.twitter.com/N2kZpkuizf

— Makerere University (@Makerere) December 30, 2019

In 2012, Makerere University awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws to Kibaki, to recognize his distinguished and outstanding contribution to public service at the national, regional and international levels – especially in the areas of Academic Excellence, Political, Social and Economic reforms.

Makerere is Uganda’s largest and oldest institution of higher learning, first established as a technical school in 1922.

The University is composed of nine colleges offering programmes for about 36,000 undergraduates and 4,000 postgraduates.

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