New dean Ssempebwa talks healing divisions to drive Makerere's EASHED forward

His plan includes creating an environment where both staff and students are motivated, supported, and facilitated to reach their full potential.

Associate Professor Jude Ssempebwa took office today as Dean of the East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development (EASHED), promising a fresh chapter for the institution.

In his inaugural speech, Dr Ssempebwa addressed past challenges, extended olive branches to former adversaries, and laid out his vision for a more inclusive, prosperous future of the School he now heads.

His call for a united front was particularly noticeable for a School where division threatened not only relationship between the leadership but badly affected the dreams of several PhD students.

Dr Ssempebwa extended a call for unity, even reaching out to Dr Ronald Bisaso, with whom he had a long-standing and highly publicised conflict.

"To Dr Ronald Bisaso, I seek a new beginning," he said.

"Not because it is easy, but because it is the right thing, and our school needs it. After all, there is nothing left for us to fight over but a good future for our colleagues and students to fight for."

The conflict between Dr Ssempebwa and Dr Bisaso, who was then dean at EASHED and now deputy principal at the College of Education under which the School falls, was as ugly as they come.

Several PhD candidates supervised by Dr Ssempebwa saw their studies frustrated as the intrigue boiled into their thesis.

The students, numbering more than five, had their graduation delay by more than three years.

"At a personal level, Prof Kikooma I sincerely thank you very much for supporting my supervisees, Dr Peter D Ntale, Dr Ahmed Katalemwa, and Dr John Baptist Habimaana, to break through their doctoral studies, including when I was away on suspension," he said of some of the affected PhD candidates.

Quoting Confucius, he said the greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

The new dean said the olive branch will foster a more collaborative environment, marking a notable shift in the school's leadership dynamics, as the feud had been a source of significant tension within the institution.

The feud, at its peak, got so intense that the should-be hallmarks of intellectualism were left tiptoeing over imaginary fetiches and avoiding even bottled water during meetings.

Dr Ssempebwa recalled such moments with a tinge of humour, thanking the Vice-Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe for deploying Prof Julius Kikooma to the School as acting dean.

"By the time Prof Kikooma came here, meetings hardly raised quorum. And when they did, Ms Regina Bisikwa [a tealady] had the discomfort of clearing away any bottled water served during the meeting because participants perceived threat of poisoning," he joked.

Dr Ssempebwa was suspended during the long-running in-fighting that drew in several university leadership. But he was as tenacious as a starved hyena and kept scavenging for what he believed in from every corner of the country.

He petitioned the First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports, went to court of law and drew into his tribulations the intervention of the Inspector General of Government.

"After God, I thank the Inspector General of Government, Beti Kamya, her deputy Anne Twinomugisha Muhaire, and all their staff for salvaging our school from the abyss that threatened its very existence," Dr Ssempebwa said.

In July 2022, the IGG stepped in and ordered a halt to a controversial dean's election in which visiting academic staff had been included as voters amid protests from EASHED staff.

Backed by five other senior academic staff at the School – Joseph Kimoga, Hilary Mukwenda, Irene Etomaru, Stella Eduan, and Tom Darlington Baloja – Dr Ssempebwa petitioned the University Council and the Director of Human Resources, resulting in a directive that the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies investigates the matter.

"Mrs Muhaire’s wise, just, and decisive actions returned me from the brink of unjust dismissal to the glory of this day," Ssempebwa said.

Reflecting on his journey to the deanship, the new dean paid a glowing tribute to the late Dr Hillary Mukwenda, who played a pivotal role in uniting the school and avoided a divisive election in 2022.

"Dr Mukwenda acted as the statesman we needed at the time," Ssempebwa stated. "His absence is deeply felt, and we honor his memory with a moment of silence."

A vision for growth and inclusivity

New dean Ssempebwa outlined his vision for the school, emphasizing his commitment to inclusivity and progress.

"I pledge to work towards a prosperous school that works for all," he declared.

His plan includes creating an environment where both staff and students are motivated, supported, and facilitated to reach their full potential.

He stressed the need for stronger partnerships with the Ministry of Higher Education, regional educational bodies, and other universities across East Africa.

"We must build a professional and corporate brand that is intentionally engaged and networked in its local, national, regional, and international environment," he said.

Dr Ssempebwa did not shy away from addressing the challenges facing the school, from inadequate facilities to limited staff. He made specific appeals to the university's management, including support for establishing new academic departments, expanding into new facilities, and acquiring essential resources like a library and computer lab.

"It is unconscionable that we are a postgraduate-only school without these resources," he emphasized.

He also requested more academic staff, noting that only 31% of positions are currently filled, leading to "ineffectiveness and occupational distress."

The associate professor also called for committed input from his colleagues, including those who had been at odds with him in the past.

"I request your authentic criticism and support. If you do not support me, as you sometimes get too busy to respond to my messages, nothing will improve," he noted.

Moving forward, Ssempebwa plans to study the handover report of Prof Julius Kikooma, the outgoing acting dean, and engage his colleagues in shaping the school’s strategic direction.

"Follow us on our new X page @eashighered for updates," he urged.

He concluded by inviting the academic community to the upcoming Advancing Critical University Studies across Africa (ACUSAfrica) annual conference in October, which the school will co-host.