Phionah Kesaasi

Makerere University on August 11 2009 announced a 3-year capital campaign to perpetually recognize the legendary professor Ali Mazrui.

Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre, Hon. Matthew Rukikaire, Chairman of Makerere University Council, said that Prof. Mazrui will be honored in a high profile-high value ceremony on the Main Campus of the university that will be rich in academic rituals and symbolisms.

‘The ceremonies will be kicked off with a general procession from the university’s Main Gate up to the Faculty of Social Sciences where Professor Mazrui was Dean, Head of Department and Professor of Political Science and Public Administration. From there, an Academic Procession will proceed to the Main Hall’.

Rukikaire added that the procession will be composed of Professor Mazrui’s contemporaries at Makerere, Deans and Directors, Makerere University’s Honorary Professors and a select group of outstanding former Makerere Student Guild Presidents since Mazrui’s days at Makerere.

Makerere University Private Sector Forum (MUPSF) conceived the Makerere Mazruiana Project to honour and recognize Prof. Mazrui through the proposed US $ 5 million Ali Mazrui Chair and Scholarship Endowment and the US $ 10 million East African Ali Mazrui Centre for Global Studies at Makerere University. The Makerere Mazruiana Project is a unique resource mobilisation strategy for Makerere University.

The proposed Ali Mazrui Chair and Scholarship Endowment will support national and internationally credentialed research professors and lecturers in teaching, research and writing at Makerere University for a specified period.

The academic pursuits and research competences of the holder(s) of the Ali Mazrui Chair will be consistent with Professor Mazrui’s global scholarship and leadership that began at Makerere University. The scholarship will support qualified student interns, undergraduate and graduate research and post-graduate fellowships at Makerere University.

These will be focused on multi-and inter-disciplinary research and areas relevant to the educational and sustainable development needs and priorities of Uganda and East Africa. Beneficiaries of the Mazrui Scholarship will have the honour to be known as “Ali A. Mazrui Scholars”.

Mazrui studied at schools in Mombasa, in Kenya. Mazrui obtained his BA with Distinction from Manchester University in Great Britain in 1960, MA from Columbia University in New York in 1961, and his doctorate (DPhil) from Oxford University (Nuffield College) in 1966.
Upon completing his education at Oxford University, Mazrui joined the faculty of Social Sciences at Makerere University where he served as head of the Department of Political Science and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Where he served until 1973, when he was forced into exile by President Idi Amin.
This is probably the first endowment project of its type and size undertaken by a national or public University in East Africa. Its impact will be revolutionary as it brings the onset of a Makerere Renaissance out of current declining standards and constrained resource availability. ENDS